SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WREX) � The Illinois General Assembly is canceling all in-person business next week.
Legislators in Springfield say that remote committee hearings will continue as scheduled.
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Rep. Chris Welch, the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, says the cancellation of in-person meetings is being done under an abundance of caution.
"We cannot put lawmakers, staff, the press and members of the public at risk by bringing them back to the Capitol," Welch says. "We have the capability to complete committee work remotely for the immediate future and will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation."
The announcement comes after the Illinois Department of Public Health announced that more than 200,000 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the state last week.
