SPRINGFIELD – With an interim budget in place to keep state government running through the end of the month, Gov. Rod Blagojevich sent lawmakers home for the long holiday weekend but ordered them back on Tuesday when talks on a full-year spending plan are to resume.

Blagojevich met with the four legislative leaders twice Friday, a day after the Legislature passed a 30-day budget that ensures state employees and service providers will be paid but dramatically cuts back money for travel and other agency expenses.

The governor signed that short-term spending plan Friday morning, saying it would give state residents a sense of security until a budget is approved.

“As we work to find consensus and get a budget that helps people live better lives, it’s good to know that the government isn’t going to be shut down,” the governor said. The previous state budget expired Wednesday night.

NIU is awaiting news from Springfield before it finalizes its budget.

Blagojevich and the legislative leaders reported progress Friday in their negotiations on a new full-year budget, as well as on non-budget issues, such as restructuring state borrowing and medical malpractice reform. The governor called it “probably the best day we’ve had” among recent negotiations.

The five have been negotiating off and on for over a month on how to close a gap of about $2.3 billion in a $54 billion budget. They sent rank-and-file lawmakers home June 1, but the governor repeatedly called them back into special session during the past week, putting pressure on the negotiators but also frustrating the rank-and-file, who still had no budget to vote on.

Blagojevich on Friday ordered another special session for Tuesday and warned lawmakers to be prepared to work every day thereafter until a full-year budget is in place.

He said having the House and Senate members in town produced progress in the budget talks, but it made more sense for them to spend the July Fourth holiday weekend campaigning and relaxing at home and hoped it would ease any ill will.

“Hopefully, they’ll understand that this is, in my judgment, an attempt on my part to show some good faith to the members,” Blagojevich said.

The Democratic governor said there was no guarantee the budget stalemate would end soon.