<p>Gov. JB Pritzker last week squarely placed the responsibility for passing a Bears stadium bill on the team itself, and had some unsolicited lobbying advice for the Bears as he attempted to brush off his own session attendance issues.</p><p>The governor continued to downplay his own role in passing a stadium or stadium-related bill, saying it was Bears management which “decided to glom on to the megaprojects bill that I proposed.”</p><p>Um, he didn’t exactly resist that move, and the Bears’ addition became the most highlighted part of the bill, to the point where lots of members believed Pritzker was using the Bears to pass an idea that had long ago hit a brick wall in both legislative chambers.</p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-110000" name="module-110000"></a> <div class="RichTextSidebarModule-title">Columnists bug</div> <div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h2>Columnists</h2><br><i>In-depth political coverage, sports analysis, entertainment reviews and cultural commentary.</i><br></div> </div><p>Pritzker also said he’d be “happy” to call a <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/06/09/pritzker-bears-stadium-indiana-illinois-special-session-arlington-heights" >special session</a>, but only if the Bears “figure out how they can get the Legislature, both sides around the same bill.”</p><p>And then he offered some belated statehouse lobbying advice: “You’ve got to work the hallways, as you know, in a very, very busy session,” Pritzker told reporters after accurately saying the Bears made “some fumbles” the past few years. “You've got to really talk to every legislator if you want to get something done,” he said.</p><p>Pritzker said he’s received calls from the Bears since session ended, but didn’t say if he repeated that same advice.</p><p>My associate Isabel Miller pointed out to the governor that he had repeatedly urged the General Assembly to move more quickly on the megaprojects bill: “Looking back, do you think spending more time in Springfield working out issues might have produced a different outcome?” </p><p>As I told my newsletter subscribers on June 8, Pritzker was in Springfield for just 22 session days this spring.</p><p>“I spent a lot of time in Springfield,” the governor insisted, adding, “I'm not a legislator,” and said he has “a whole lot of responsibilities that aren't legislative.”</p><p>According to his legislative calendar, Pritzker was in Springfield two days in January and two days in February, four days in March and three days in April.