Despite strong opposition by Republican Senators on behalf of their constituents, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules advanced August 11 a rule change by the Pritzker Administration that will have wide-ranging implications for Illinois’ small-business owners and residents.

Senator Jil Tracy says this rule change, which Senate Republicans opposed, would force small businesses to act as law enforcement for a mask mandate that would require individuals who enter their establishments to wear masks. Those businesses that did not enforce this mandate could face a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a fine of between $75 and $2,500.

“Our local employers are coming off months of being closed or operating at a much reduced capacity, and are now being told they have to serve as enforcers for an order issued by the Governor,” Senator Tracy said. “It should not be the responsibility of business owners or their employees to ‘police’ their customers or face steep fines.”

Senator Tracy says the mandate is burdensome and only exacerbates the economic crisis facing Illinois’ hard-working businesses owners and their employees.

Also opposing the Governor’s new rule are the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.