Will County Gazette

The fall veto session for the Illinois legislature was canceled this week after the majority of members voiced preferring to postpone the session to a later date with rising concerns over COVID-19. 

“There is a strong majority of members who would prefer the House delay convening to a later date; this is primarily motivated by concerns about the rising COVID-19 rates and proximity to upcoming holidays,” House Speaker Michael Madigan's Chief of Staff Jessica Basham said in a letter to legislature members, The Center Square reported. “I'm advised that there are similar concerns among Senate members, who were also surveyed over the weekend.”

Basham said the coronavirus situation and opinions of legislature members will continue to be monitored during this time. 

“House and Senate leadership will be announcing the cancellation of the veto session (currently scheduled for Nov. 17-19 and Dec. 1-3),” Basham wrote in the message, The Center Square reported. “We will continue to monitor the evolving conditions relative to the pandemic and keep members apprised of future session dates.”

While not all members felt the need to cancel the session, Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin (D-Olympia Fields) said she was glad the legislature took into consideration the wishes and feelings of the members. 

"Well, I believe that it was done with a consultation with General Assembly Members," she said in a Zoom interview with Will County Gazette. "There were many members who felt very uncomfortabl and ill at ease with coming back to Springfield, considering the spiking cases in that region of Colvin and so I actually appreciate our feelings and our concerns being taken into consideration."

But Gov. J.B. Pritzker expressed disappointment that the session was canceled. 

“We have so much work to do in Springfield, there’s no doubt,” Pritzker said, as The Center Square reported. “With regard to the budget in particular, we have major efforts underway that will require the legislatures engagement.”

While the session was canceled, Meyers-Martin said she still welcomes her constituents and even those not in her district to reach to to her with any questions or concerns they might have. 

"Well, I certainly welcome any opportunity to speak to people who live, not only in my district, but in the region and the South Suburban region," she told Will County Gazette. "Just because I think it's important for there to be a relationship that needs to be dialogue that needs to be conversation."