( KTRS ) The Illinois Senate is returning to Springfield today for a new legislative term expected to be dominated by officials’ inability to agree on a budget that should have taken effect July 1.

The stalemate puts lawmakers and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in the odd predicament of trying to pass an overdue budget at a time when they traditionally would be ironing out a spending plan for next year. The session that runs through May is expected to get off to a slow start.

With no budget, the state has been operating with stop-gap measures and court-mandated spending that’s plunging Illinois further into debt.