Final days of session set stage for next month

CHICAGO (AP) – Lawmakers returning to the state Capitol this week will address a proposal to let illegal immigrants obtain driver’s licenses and may tackle medical marijuana, state facility closures and tax disclosure for Illinois corporations.

On most major issues, however, they will be laying the groundwork for the first week of January, and what’s shaping up to be another blockbuster lame-duck session. That’s when lawmakers in their last days in office could get the chance to vote on deals to expand gambling and fix the state’s pension crisis, if not also addressing the right of same-sex couples to marry. They also could take final votes on the issues they tackle this week.

The six-day fall session, scheduled to wrap up Thursday, is held for lawmakers to decide whether to override gubernatorial vetoes. This year the General Assembly had fewer vetoes to deal with than in previous years. In 2011, Quinn vetoed all or part of more than two dozen bills; this year he used his pen on just 10 bills.

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