Metro East Sun

With Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic drawing mounting criticism, state Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) is pushing for the General Assembly to immediately reconvene in hopes of giving the people of the state a stronger voice in the state's direction.

“We should be in Springfield now and the governor should not be running the state the way he is without the GA being in session,” Plummer told the Metro East Sun. “I’m disappointed the governor hasn’t utilized a more regionalized approach to this crisis. When you are in a state as geographically and economically diverse as Illinois, a one-size fits all strategy doesn’t make much sense.”

And Plummer argues the lunacy doesn’t end there, pointing to the severe shortcomings of the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) that have resulted in thousands of self-employed workers not being eligible to apply for jobless benefits available to other first-time applicants.

“It’s a significant problem in this state now because if you’re a gig worker the state is not allowing you access to benefits you may be entitled to,” Plummer said. “And it’s not because the money isn’t there, it’s just that the system isn’t working for them.”

State officials now say such workers can expect to receive their first coronavirus jobless benefits starting the week of Monday, May 11.

Plummer argues frustrated residents will believe it when they see it, given all the trouble they’ve had just being able to access the IDES system over the last several weeks.

“I’ve been getting a growing number of emails from constituents complaining about how aggravating it is to know the state has failed them,” he said. “We were told weeks ago the system would be up and running and now everyone is saying May 11. You can only have a limited amount of confidence in an administration that has lacked transparency the way this one has.”