DeKalb Times

Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) wants House Republicans to add their input to the Restore Illinois plan.

"Just because we have disagreements with how the plan is structured doesn’t mean we’re ignoring the science behind this," Demmer said in the press conference. "But, science can't tell us exactly when it’s safe to move from one step to another step. There are a lot of complexities."

Demmer said it's important to receive input from a variety of sources.

"We need to have input from a wide variety of people and consider how this is affecting livelihoods," Demmer said. "We need to understand how this plan affects others. The legislature needs to be involved."

Demmer said it's obvious that the restoration plan will extend Gov J.B. Pritzker beyond his 30-day executive order authority.

"When we begin to talk about plans that are going to have an impact for months or years, that’s when we must restore the functioning of our democratic government," Demmer said. "We must have all three branches working together on plans that extend beyond the immediate future."

Demmer said each of the three branches has a distinct task and it's important for them to work together.

"The legislature's job is to create law," Demmer said. "The executive branch is to carry out that law and the judicial branch’s role is to interpret that law."

Demmer said the legislature needs to be a part of a long-term plan.

"In a situation where we're setting important statewide policies that will govern the functioning of business, communities, local governments and nonprofits over the course of months or years, the appropriate place for those decisions to be made is in the legislature where the ability to craft law has been delegated by the Illinois Constitution," Demmer said. "Where voters have a direct stake in working with and being represented by their legislators. We should take the Department of Public Health up on the offer of how to safely reconvene the legislature."

Demmer said many complicated questions are at play with the current plan.

"We’ve seen different scenarios play out differently," Demmer said. "That’s why we believe the legislative process needs to be at play."