LEE CO. (WSIL) � A state bowling association has filed a lawsuit against Gov. JB Pritzker's emergency declarations and Phase 4 guidelines.
The Illinois State Bowling Proprietors Association (ISBPA) filed the suit in Lee County court.
ISBPA officials said the successive orders issued by the governor related to COVID-19 have caused “tremendous emotional and economic hardship� during the past several months.
“Frankly, Gov. Pritzker has thrown a gutter ball on this one. Even medical experts agree that bowling is not a highly dangerous activity with regard to COVID-19 spread,� said R. William Duff, Jr., executive director of the ISBPA. “As the businesses of our members buckle under the governor’s orders, it’s hard to explain to employees, the bowling public and family members why other activities rated by experts as more dangerous than bowling enjoy the governor’s favor. That’s why we want the court to intervene and put a stop to this before more harm is caused.�
Duff explains, under the current orders, bowling centers are restricted to a maximum of 50 people per location, while businesses such as gyms, retail stores, nail salons, and restaurants do not face a 50-person cap and can have up to 50-percent capacity.
“That makes no sense, is not based on science and needs to be addressed by the court,� he said.
The ISBPA says bowling centers have implemented a range of safety and sanitation measures, including at least one empty lane between each group bowling, daily temperature and wellness checks of employees, and reducing touch points in facilities.
Duff also noted that bowling can be done while wearing a face covering and that the ISBPA had invested an estimated $40,000 to purchase additional personal protective equipment to provide to bowling centers around the state.
The ISBPA lawsuit asks the court to issue a restraining order prohibiting the state from enforcing the governor’s order and also requests that the latest Executive Order issued by the governor be ruled invalid.
