On January 31, 2023, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced in a press release that the state’s public health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been continuously renewed for thirty-day periods since March 2020, will come to an end on May 11, 2023. One practical impact of the expiration of the state’s public health emergency is that, as of May 11, 2023, open or closed meetings may no longer be conducted by audio or video conference without the physical presence of a quorum of board members. (Read more about the 2020 amendments to the Open Meeting Act here). However, remote attendance by individual members will continue to be allowed, in accordance with rules adopted by the public body, if a quorum is physically present and the member cannot attend due to personal illness, disability, employment, public body business, or family or other emergency under 5 ILCS 120/7.
Source: Office of the Governor, Press Release dated January 31, 2023
