Kankakee Times

State Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) is placing the blame for the dysfunction plaguing Illinois state agencies squarely on the shoulders of Gov. JB Pritzker.

Haas, in a recent Facebook post, shared an Illinois Times report detailing how Pritzker’s July 6 executive order—which would suspend the statutory waiting period for state hospitals to take on prisoners for court-ordered psychiatric care—had been ruled invalid by Sangamon County Associate Judge Karen Tharp. The report noted that the judge issued a temporary injunction, which also covered Rock Island, Madison, Knox, Macon and McLean counties, preventing the order from taking effect.

“Gov. Pritzker's attempt to rule by executive order has led to dysfunction throughout the state agencies he oversees,” Haas said in the Facebook post. “A system of checks and balances needs to be restored in Illinois to ensure our state is running efficiently and our residents are being heard.”

The court ruling could force the courts to urge elected officials and other leaders to come up with a long-term solution to the long waits; Jim Kaitschuk, executive director of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, told the Times.

A separate Times report noted that Pritzker’s order simply suspends the requirement and does not address the delays, which can run into months. Officials said such delays can lead to further mental deterioration as the prisoners sit in jails that are not set up to deal with mentally ill individuals. 

Tharp will meet on Aug. 25 with representatives of the state and the sheriffs to decide the next steps in the process, the Times report said.