Clay County Judge Michael McHaney ruled that the 30 days of emergency powers provided to Democrat Governor Pritzker by state law lapsed on April 8 and any executive orders afterward related to COVID-19 are void! The ruling said the state constitution did not allow Pritzker “to restrict a citizen’s movement or activities and/or forcibly close business premises.” In May, Governor Pritzker warned small business owners that if they try to reopen their businesses they could face up to a year in prison. Pritzker has used the disaster proclamations to restrict the re-opening of the state.In response, Republican Representative Darren Bailey won a lawsuit for a restraining order against Governor Pritzker in April, which was granted by the same judge, thus nullifying COVID-19 regulations for Bailey. The Illinois Supreme Court declined to intervene for Pritzker. Bailey then refiled the lawsuit to include all residents and businesses, and Judge McHaney sided with Bailey, nullifying the governor’s executive orders that were issued after the 30-day emergency had expired.