* Press release last night…

At the request of the Attorney General, Governor JB Pritzker today signed SB 1169 into law, clarifying the legislative intent of the Health Care Right of Conscience Act so that it cannot be abused or misinterpreted to jeopardize workplace safety. This amendment will ensure the long tradition of vaccine requirements by employers can continue with regard to the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Masks, vaccines, and testing requirements are life-saving measures that keep our workplaces and communities safe,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Keeping workplaces safe is a high priority, and I applaud the General Assembly for ensuring that the Health Care Right of Conscience Act is no longer wrongly used against institutions who are putting safety and science first.”

The Health Care Right of Conscience Act was originally enacted to allow medical professionals to refuse to receive or participate in healthcare services that are contrary to their personal beliefs, including religious or moral objections to specific services, such as abortion.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the law has been improperly invoked to evade employers’ requirements for testing, masking, and vaccines. The misuse of the law’s original intent has put customers, staff, and community members at risk by exposing employers to legal retaliation for enacting life-saving public health measures.

“With Governor Pritzker’s signature today, we continue our effort to keep the people of this state as safe as possible,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D- Westchester). “Despite deliberate attempts to misinform the public, nothing about this law takes away anyone’s rights to claim religious or medical exemption, which are protected by federal law. While only a small minority of people are skirting COVID-19 requirements, our goal is to make sure workers in high-risk environments are doing what’s needed to fulfill their responsibility to public health and keep everyone alive and healthy.”

“I hope this provides clarity to the situation as we work to protect the public’s health and beat back this pandemic that has taken so much from us,” said Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park).

“Today we are taking critical action to protect people in high-risk environments—such as hospitals, veterans’ homes and schools—from the dangers of COVID-19,” said State Representative Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston). “While this law will not take away anyone’s right to claim exemptions based on religion or medical need, it prevents a small group of people from distorting the meaning of the Health Care Right of Consciousness Act and putting some of our most vulnerable members of society in danger. I would like to thank Governor Pritzker for the steps he’s taking today.”

This amendment preserves the legislative intent established by the Act’s 40 years of precedent, clarifying that it is not a violation of the Act to take workplaces measures intended to prevent the spread of deadly, communicable diseases like COVID-19.

The law explicitly reiterates federal protections of sincerely held religious objections.

SB 1169 is effective June 1, 2022.

* Sun-Times…

“He continues to strip individual freedoms and make decisions that should be between an individual and their doctor,” said state Sen. Darren Bailey of downstate Xenia. “A few months ago we called healthcare workers heroes [but] now Pritzker wants to ensure they can be fired if they don’t submit to his tyrannical rule.

“These never-ending mandates and radical attacks by Pritzker on individual freedom must stop.”

The campaign of venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan argued the Health Care Right of Conscience Act was in place to “ensure no one could be discriminated against in their job because of their conscientious objection to not getting a medical procedure.

“Over 50,000 Illinoisans filed witness slips against this radical change,” according to Sullivan’s campaign statement. “Nevertheless, Pritzker pushed ahead, once again demonstrating his disregard for the will of the people. Jesse Sullivan opposes this scary legislation.”

“Scary.”

* Gary Rabine…

Gary Rabine, Republican candidate for Illinois Governor, is issuing the following statement on the Governor signing legislation to shield employers from litigation stemming from vaccine mandates.

“The Right of Conscience has long been a part of our nation’s heritage. Going all of the way back to the American Revolution, the Colonial Army made allowances for conscientious objectors. The Right of Conscience is engrained in our American heritage and our way of life.

The idea that employers can mandate a vaccine and be protected from lawsuits ought to frighten us all. If we cannot make healthcare for ourselves, what other ways can government limit our freedoms?

Governor Pritzker may not like the choices people make, but he should respect their right to make decisions for themselves. The courts will ultimately decide the legality of this new law, but there is no denying our individual rights and freedoms were dealt a major setback today.

Illinois does not need a despot. The residents of our state need and deserve a Governor who will listen to them and treat them with dignity and respect. Unlike JB Pritzker, I will put the rights and liberties of Illinois citizens first. I will end the war on families, and I will protect the Right of Conscience for all Illinoisans.”

Do you know what George Washington did during the revolution? Vaccine mandate for troops.

* Tribune…

Senate President Don Harmon argued there are legitimate limits to personal freedoms.

“The line of my personal liberty ends at the beginning of your nose,” Harmon said [during floor debate]. “That’s all we’re trying to do here. We’re trying to strike a balance. This law was never intended to preclude public health responses to a pandemic. And it shouldn’t be.”