EXECUTIVE ORDER IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
(COVID-19 EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 24)
WHEREAS, Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel severe acute respiratory illness that can spread among people through respiratory transmissions and present with symptoms similar to those of influenza; and,
WHEREAS, in a short period of time, COVID-19 has rapidly spread throughout Illinois, necessitating updated and more stringent guidance from federal, state, and local public health officials; and,
WHEREAS, I, JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois, declared all counties in the State of Illinois as a disaster area on March 9, 2020 (the First Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation) in response to the outbreak of COVID-19; and,
WHEREAS, I again declared all counties in the State of Illinois as a disaster area on April 1, 2020 (the Second Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation, and, together with the First Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation, the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations) in response to the exponential spread of COVID-19; and,
WHEREAS, should Illinois experience an increase in deaths related to COVID-19, it is necessary to ensure that county coroners and medical examiners are able to minimize the spread of the virus;
THEREFORE, by the powers vested in me as the Governor of the State of Illinois, pursuant to Sections 7(1) of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, 20 ILCS 3305, I hereby order the following:
Section 1. During the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, the requirement for blood and urine analysis in certain circumstances to test for the presence of drugs and alcohol in section 3/3-3013 of the Illinois Counties Code Coroner Division, 55 ILCS 5/3-3013, is hereby suspended only for subsection (e), a death where the decedent was not attended by a licensed physician, if the decedent (1) tested positive for COVID-19, or (2) presents classic symptoms of COVID-19 and has been tested for COVID-19 with results pending. All other conditions of section 55 ILCS 5/3-3013 remain in effect.
Section 2. During the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, section 20(a) of the Disposition of Remains of the Indigent Act, 755 ILCS 66/20(a), requiring a qualified medical science institution to hold indigent cadavers for 30 days after receipt from the State facility, is hereby suspended for cadavers testing positive for COVID-19 provided that the institution holds the indigent cadaver for at least 15 days.
Section 3. During the Duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, section 15(c) – (f) of the Disposition of Remains of the Indigent Act, 755 ILCS 66/15(c) – (f), requiring the director of any State facility in custody of an unclaimed cadaver to donate the cadaver to a qualified medical science institution for use in the advancement of medical science, is hereby suspended for cadavers testing positive for COVID-19. Directors shall continue to make reasonable efforts to contact a family member or person responsible for the disposition of remains and must also maintain the 72-hour statutory wait period.
Section 4. If any provision of this Executive Order or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, this invalidity does not affect any other provision or application of this Executive Order, which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application. To achieve this purpose, the provisions of this Executive Order are declared to be severable.
Issued by the Governor April 17, 2020
Filed by the Secretary of State April 17, 2020