By Illinois Radio Network
Springfield, IL – State lawmakers return to Springfield today for the first day of a two-day special session.
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn says he likes the idea of the Illinois House holding a Committee of the Whole to pore over the details and ramifications of plans to expand gambling, lease the state's lottery, and sweep special funds, in order to help fill a budget gap.
Quinn says he's fine with the proposal to sweep special funds, which means taking surpluses from accounts dedicated to a specific purpose and placing the money in the state's general revenue fund. But he says any attempt to dramatically expand gambling should go before voters in a referendum.
State Rep. Raymond Poe (R-Springfield) expects the House to shoot down all three of these proposals, which means the Governor would have to decide whether to cut about $1.5 billion out of the budget, or completely veto the budget and call lawmakers back into more special sessions.
