SPRINGFIELD - The state's financial picture is worsening, but don't look for any quick fix from the Illinois Senate.

After a busy election season, Illinois lawmakers begin returning to the Capitol Wednesday for the start of the fall veto session.

Lawmakers are expected to do some general housekeeping, as well as take action on a handful of laws that were vetoed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

In addition, Republicans and Democrats in the Senate will likely spend time behind closed doors discussing how to replace their leaders, both of whom are retiring at year's end.

But, there is no consensus yet on a plan to address the state's budget woes.

According to the General Assembly's fiscal forecasting agency, overall state revenues are down $406 million through the first third of the fiscal year.

The administration also released a new set of numbers showing that the state may face an overall $800 million shortfall before the fiscal year ends June 30.

That spells trouble for anyone hoping to stop Blagojevich from closing parks and historic sites later this month. He proposed closing two dozen facilities because of a budget shortfall that's only gotten worse in recent months.

His aides have not ruled out slashing more spending in order to keep the state from sliding further into the red.

The drop in income also will make it tough to improve the time it takes the state to pay its bills to hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacists and other contractors.

The revenue shortfall ''will cause already difficult budget pressures to build,'' noted a report by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

But, Cindy Davidsmeyer, spokeswoman for Senate President Emil Jones, said it is unlikely the Senate will take up budget matters this week. Rather, lawmakers are expected to spend their time dealing with other issues, including:

- Legislation aimed at helping build a coal-fired power plant in Taylorville. The project being pushed by Nebraska-based Tenaska is still more than a year away from getting underway;

- The veto of a law that is supposed to protect consumers from high fees charged by private finder firms. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias wants lawmakers to override the governor's changes.

- Sign off on Blagojevich's appointments to numerous agencies and boards and commissions. They include new directors at a number of state agencies.

It's not clear when lawmakers and the governor will begin focusing on the state budget picture. The House doesn't return to action until Nov. 19.

Blagojevich could sign off on an interim budget patch approved by lawmakers earlier this year. That proposal was designed to stave off cuts to parks and historic sites by diverting money from a series of special state funds.

However, even if the governor approves that legislation, the fiscal forecasting commission reports that the state will be hard pressed to meet its modest budget predictions for the remainder of the fiscal year under the current state of the national economy.

''Corporate profits have been decimated over recent months, while consumer sentiments have eroded to record low levels, neither of which bode well for the remainder of the fiscal year,'' the report noted.