SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Gov. JB Pritzker gave Chicago Bears fans hope earlier this month when he said he's open to a special session to keep the team in Illinois. However, Democratic leaders say they're not bringing lawmakers back to work until the Bears return to the negotiating table.

The Bears have shifted focus to building a stadium across the border, forcing Illinois to make a Hail Mary attempt, but when will the Springfield politicos return to their home field?

"I think you've got to have some agreement," Pritzker said Tuesday. "You can't just call people together in a room and say go at it because who knows how long that will take. What we need is the Bears to focus on what they want."

Pritzker said the team has called him and members of his administration with thoughts about ways to move forward, but the Bears have not been clear about the bill they need passed or whether they have the votes. 

Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) told his members that they will work on a plan to save the Bears throughout the summer. Yet, no hearings have been scheduled, and many are asking why representatives are holding the ball.

"I think it's important that we found out if there is a bill that we all agree on — the House, the Senate, the Governor's office, the Bears, all the stakeholders involved," Welch said. "Before calling members down to Springfield and interrupting their summers, I think it's important that we do the work here first."

Welch said he still believes the Bears want to stay in Illinois. No matter what, Pritzker is not changing his playbook focused on protecting Illinois taxpayers.

"We're not going to do what Indiana has done which is raise taxes, sales tax, raise tolls on people in order to pay for a stadium for a billionaire-owned team," Pritzker said.

The General Assembly is not scheduled to return to Springfield until veto session begins Nov. 17. Some say more lawmakers will be willing to support a Bears bill after the Nov. 3 election. 

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