McLean County Times

State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) filed a bill recently aiming to end the mask mandate in the Illinois House chamber.

Caulkins posted to Facebook Feb. 18, sharing a link to a video filing the bill, which faced quick opposition from fellow House members.

“This week I filed a bill to eliminate the mask mandate in the IL House of Representatives,” Caulkins wrote in his Facebook post. “The Democrats opposed my bill and chose to keep the mask mandate in effect for the Illinois House.”

House Resolution 673 was introduced by Caulkins Feb. 17, and would remove the requirement that masks be worn on the House floor, if passed. Following the reading of his request, Democrats in the chamber, including the Speaker of the House, promptly objected, stating the vote was both out of order and unnecessary, given the lack of unanimous consent.

Caulkins is not the only legislator who has spoken out about mask mandates in the chambers. Back in May 2021, Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Teutopolis) argued that it was time to end mask-wearing for legislators. 

“I think we’re at a point in time where we can start lifting these ordinances in a wholesale fashion and people have to take precaution based on their individual risks and decide whether or not they’re going to avoid crowds or wear masks based on the circumstance,” Niemerg said in a recent House floor speech where he called for an end to mask-wearing among lawmakers in session.

This comes as KQHA reports, Caulkins, Neimerg, and Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Effingham) were asked to leave the chambers earlier this week for refusing to wear masks on the House floor. This marks the second time in less than a week Neimerg and Wilhour were asked to leave the House floor after refusing to wear masks.