Dear Friends,

During this challenging time, when almost nothing is "business as usual," I've talked to many people about how they are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and how they are getting things done. I thought you might be interested to hear how the Illinois legislature is handling "working from home."

Strong leadership in the Governor's office is absolutely critical at this time, and I have to tell you that our leadership, from Governor Pritzker on down, is doing a phenomenal job with communication.

The Governor has been personally contacting legislators to keep them informed. Our state agencies are hosting regular conference calls so legislators can call in with questions. The Senate Democrats are caucusing two to three times a week, with Senate President Don Harmon walking us through the issues and answering questions.

The spring legislative session ends on May 31, and it's anyone's guess when we'll be able to convene in person before then. Contingency plans are being made to ensure that a budget is passed, and possibly a small block of additional bills.

Locally, my district office is being remotely staffed by my fantastic staff, who are taking your phone calls and emails as always and getting you the answers and help you need.

When our nation, our state, and our district begin to emerge from this crisis, we will need to respond to the long-term impact of the pandemic in areas such as the economy and health care access and affordability. In the meantime, please stay safe at home. If you have any questions or concerns that we can help you with, don't hesitate to call my office at 847-945-5200.

Sincerely,

Julie Morrison