As constituents shake off their hangovers Jan. 1, state lawmakers will be packing their bags for a weeklong lame-duck session in Springfield.

The Illinois Senate plans to reconvene Jan. 2, and the House the following day, and both are scheduled to meet daily until the new General Assembly elected last month is sworn in Jan. 9. All existing legislation not signed into law dies with the end of the old General Assembly and the start of the new one.

The lame-duck session is important to state lawmakers for two reasons.