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A Slow Start for the Illinois Legislature

Illinois legislators will return to Springfield this week.  It will be their first meeting this year.

And when the General Assembly convenes Wednesday, it won’t be a typical day -- the governor will give his State of the State speech.  All legislators have to do is sit, listen, and react.

They'll be back next week to start introducing and debating bills, though they won’t be meeting much for the next six weeks.  The House and Senate are set to convene 14 days each from through mid-March. 

Chris Mooney, Director the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs, said most legislators will be otherwise occupied until then.

“They're going to be busy knocking on doors, and doing the various things they do to get  re-elected,” said Mooney, pointing out the primary is March 18.

The legislative calendar gets busier after the primary.