DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – An Illinois attorney representing several businesses that are suing Governor JB Priztker over his Reopen Illinois plan said Thursday that his clients have been paid a visit by Illinois State Police for violating the Governor’s orders.

Attorney Thomas DeVore told WAND News that state police stopped at several of his clients in Region 4 of the Reopen Illinois plan who were open for indoor dining. Under a resurgence mitigation plan laid out by the Governor in August, bars and restaurants in Region 4 cannot operate for indoor dining.

Region 4 is the Metro-East area and includes Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington Counties. DeVore said clients in three of the seven regions reported State Police visiting their establishment.

Before 9 p.m. Thursday, DeVore told WAND-TV two of his clients, located in Monroe and Bond counties, have been cited by ISP for violations. Further details were not available. 

DeVore said his clients were told by State Police that businesses not in compliance had one hour to comply with the Governor’s order banning indoor dining and that troopers would return to check for compliance before issuing a citation. DeVore told WAND News that he had advised his clients to not comply.

Illinois State Police issued a statement Friday about their involvement in Region 4. 

"In response to a consistently high positivity rate in Region 4 and complaints about a small number of businesses violating public health rules, the Illinois Department of Public Health requested assistance from the Illinois State Police in our role of helping to enforce IDPH emergency rules. As outlined in the administrative rule, enforcement is an incremental process starting with a notice of non-compliance. If businesses continue to not comply, as has been the case in some instances in region 4, state or local law enforcement can issue the business a misdemeanor citation, similar to enforcing indoor smoking laws. Local state’s attorneys determine how to proceed as they would in any other misdemeanor case."