From the Peoria Journal Star:

Ethics, spending beckon lawmakers
State senate focused on resolving 'pay-to-play,' governor's budget cuts
By RYAN KEITH
of GateHouse News Service
Posted Sep 21, 2008 @ 11:34 PM
SPRINGFIELD —
In a state known for the black eyes of corruption and scandal, ethics reform doesn't come easy. State lawmakers are headed back to the Capitol today to try to wrap up House Bill 824, which would bar large-dollar contractors from "paying to play" in state government with political donations.
Both Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones have beckoned lawmakers back to take up the ethics issue. All the contractor ban needs to become state law is a supporting vote in the Senate.
But with the legislature these days, expect the unexpected.
"You never know," said Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.
Don't look for much today from the House, which has sent several issues over to the Senate.
"We feel like we've addressed all the issues that are on the table," said Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield. "The pressure's really on them (senators) to take some final action."
Both chambers are in special session, though, because Blagojevich called them back. He wants them to re-examine the ethics reforms he proposed last month.
Hannig predicts the governor's ideas will go nowhere until HB824 is put into law.
So the focus will be on the Senate. Jones, D-Chicago, has promised to allow a vote on overriding the changes to HB824, which lawmakers passed in the spring but Blagojevich expanded greatly.
The legislators' version would bar people with contracts worth $50,000 or more from giving money to officeholders who dole out the contracts. Blagojevich extended the donation ban to other state officeholders and lawmakers, and he targeted legislators with restrictions on pay raise votes and the work they do outside their legislative jobs.
Now lawmakers want to put the original version into law. The House voted to do that two weeks ago.
"I'm hopeful we just override the governor's veto. Then it's done," said Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield.
Jones resisted bringing the Senate back to town before the scheduled November veto session. But after pre-election pressure from his members and a call from protege and presidential candidate Barack Obama, he relented.
Blagojevich argues he's already taken care of pay-to-play concerns by issuing an executive order barring large-dollar contractor donations to state officeholders and lawmakers.
Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero indicated lawmakers could be in for a lengthy special session, if needed, to address the other reforms.
Along with ethics, the Senate could be considering a bevy of other issues while in town: budget cuts, a state lottery lease, vetoes of several bills by Blagojevich. That creates real uncertainty for how long the session will last and what might be accomplished, especially with legislators eager to get back to campaigning.
Jones spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer said senators have been informed to be ready to work Tuesday as well.
Watch for pressure to be high on senators to follow the House's lead in spending hundreds of millions of dollars to prevent budget cuts. The Blagojevich administration has announced a series of slashings set for this fall, from two-dozen state historic sites and state parks closing to hundreds of state workers being laid off.
"He's (Jones) very much aware of the importance of this to members," said Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville. "It would certainly take some pressure off."
Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, said his caucus has identified at least $25 million in pork spending that could be sacrificed to prevent these other more painful cuts.
"The way you run state government is about priorities, and the priorities of this administration have been deplorable," Watson said.
Advocates pushing to prevent those cuts say this week might be their one shot at a breakthrough.
"It's not just an opportunity, it's the best and the only chance," said Anders Lindall, spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 union. "We don't see any reason for them (the cuts) to go forward. The Senate needs to pass that legislation this week."