From the Daily Herald:

Back in Springfield to hash budget, ethics plans out
By John Patterson | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 9/22/2008 12:09 AM
SPRINGFIELD - Nearly five months after lawmakers were scheduled to wrap up their 2008 session, they return to the Capitol today with plans to revisit budget issues and new ethics laws.
The Illinois Senate had planned to return sometime this week to take up the ethics plan that would prohibit businesses with state contracts from financing the campaigns of those who award the contracts.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich vetoed that plan, used an executive order to launch his own pay-to-play prohibition and then changed the proposal to include banning lawmakers from having other government jobs and overhauling how elected state officials get pay raises. He then sent that plan back to lawmakers.
The House rejected his changes recently and voted to reimpose the initial deal. The Senate didn't plan to take up the issue until after the November elections. But pressure was put on Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama to step in - he pushed ethics reforms while serving in Springfield - and Senate President Emil Jones Jr. agreed to bring the Senate back as a favor to Obama.
At about the same time, the governor issued an order demanding lawmakers return today and take up his broader ethics legislation, which several lawmakers say is flawed and needs much work before it could face a vote or legal test.
Ethics, however, isn't the only thing on the agenda.
The Senate is likely to take up proposals the House passed recently in an effort to avert the closing of two dozen state parks and historic sites. The governor announced the closings and hundreds of layoffs in an effort to balance a spending plan nearly $2 billion out of whack.
Here's additional detail on what awaits lawmakers today and possibly later this week:
Ethics
If the Senate can muster 36 votes to override the governor's veto, an ethics deal approved this spring that bans campaign donations from those with state contracts would automatically become law.
The governor wants lawmakers to accept his changes or approve new legislation that includes them. His version restricts those with government jobs from running for the General Assembly and makes lawmakers vote on any recommended pay raises.
The original ethics deal is HB824.
The governor's new plan is HB6699.
Budget
The Senate is likely to approve tapping $221 million sitting in special state bank accounts to plug budget holes and keep state parks and historic sites open. They're slated to begin closing next month.
But hundreds of millions worth of additional budget restorations remain in limbo because while the House OK'd the spending, it has yet to come up with the money. It's unclear whether the Senate plans to take up this provision.
The sweeping special funds proposal is SB790.
Restoring parks and historic sites and other funding is SB1103.
Restoring health care, social service and other spending is HB6350.
Building
It's also uncertain whether the Senate will act on a House-approved plan to lease out the Illinois Lottery in hopes of getting $10 billion upfront to finance construction projects. The Senate previously OK'd a far bigger deal that included more casinos. The lottery lease proposal is SB2595.
The cost
After May 31, lawmakers don't get to collect the $129-a-day per diem courtesy of taxpayers that's supposed to cover meals and housing when in Springfield. But because the governor ordered a "special session" the per diems again kick in. If all 188 lawmakers and their staffs show up, the cost to taxpayers could be upward of $40,000 per day.
sion was called for 1 p.m.