A judge’s ruling threw Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s school mask mandate into chaos. Now that an appellate court has ruled against Pritzker, too, he’s taking his fight to keep masks on students to the Illinois Supreme Court.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker will end the statewide indoor mask mandate for most Illinoisans Feb. 28, joining the 39 other states who have already lifted COVID-19 restrictions on residents. Illinois will be the only state in the Midwest still mandating masks in schools at the state level.

Today marks day 700 of life in Illinois under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s emergency executive orders. Other governors, including neighboring Iowa, are rolling back executive control, and the majority of Midwest states are no longer under emergency authority.

Gov. J.B Pritzker is appealing a state court ruling striking down Illinois’ mask mandate in schools. His appeal and his 24th emergency declaration come as California and Connecticut join a growing list of states loosening their restrictions.