* Here you go…

* ABC Chicago | Gov. Pritzker to sign $50 billion State Budget Wednesday: Pritzker has been touring the state this week, promoting the $50 billion spending plan that goes into effect next month. The plan contains several new initiatives he asked for, including investments in pre-K through 12th grade education, child welfare, combating poverty and homelessness, and increasing state spending on higher education.

* Tribune | Prosecutors say businessman James Weiss ‘had two sitting politicians’ on his payroll as federal bribery trial begins: “In 2019, ladies and gentlemen, the defendant had two sitting politicians on his company’s payroll,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine O’Neill said in her opening statement in Weiss’ long-awaited bribery trial. “It was all to benefit his business … the sweepstakes machines and his own bottom line.”

* Tribune | Lawsuits against state can be filed in only two counties under measure signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, lawsuits have been filed in multiple counties challenging Pritzker’s executive orders related to the pandemic as well as recently enacted state laws abolishing cash bail and banning certain high-powered semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity ammunition magazines. “One attorney was charging people $200 to have their names added as plaintiffs to (a gun ban) lawsuit,” Democratic state Rep. Jay Hoffman said last month in reference to the numerous lawsuits filed by unsuccessful Republican attorney general candidate Thomas DeVore.

* Sun-Times | Stalled Bears stadium talks create opening for Chicago mayor — if he’s willing to rewrite his playbook: Johnson is under intense pressure to deliver on his campaign promise to make $1 billion worth of “investments in people.” The smorgasbord of jobs, education, mental health and social programs is the cornerstone of the new mayor’s anti-violence strategy.

* WGLT | Illinois would see $49.2B in health benefits with widespread EV adoption: But a new report quantifies the potential health benefits of a widespread transition to zero-emission passenger vehicles and electricity. That report was released Wednesday by the American Lung Association. It provides a state-level forecast of what would happen if all new vehicle sales were EVs by 2035, coupled with non-combustion electricity generation.

* STLPR | Legal pot meant a second chance for thousands in Illinois — did the state keep its promise?: The word “automatic” was a misnomer, said Kinney. An individual with a criminal record for marijuana had to take an active role in the court system to make that record go away, and every single court in the state is its own entity. “You have to file a petition in every single county in which there was a charge and arrest or conviction,” Kinney said. “There’s not just some magic button that someone can press and all these records just go poof, and they go away.”

* WCIA | Facing ‘funding crisis,’ ICASA seeks help from state after cut in some federal dollars: The Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault estimates the federal government is slashing their funding from the Victims of Crime Act in half, according to testimony from CEO Carrie Ward. She estimates that’s around $9.5 million, adding that the state’s rape crisis centers are “facing a funding crisis.”

* Center Square | Pritzker promotes early childhood education initiative; Republicans say it’s not sustainable: Among the programs discussed was the Smart Start Illinois program, which supporters say will eliminate early childhood deserts for 3-and-4-year olds by 2027. The program, in total, will cost the state’s taxpayers $350 million for the programs and new facilities.

* Crain’s | Business interests pushing back on ComEd’s proposed rate hikes: At the end of the four years beginning in 2024, many companies would see their electricity delivery rates increase by more than 60%, according to an analysis performed for BOMA/Chicago by former Illinois Power Agency Director Mark Pruitt, now an energy consultant. For consumers, the increases would be more like 40%.

* Crain’s | Amtrak seeks funds to boost one of its major Chicago routes: In an announcement today, Amtrak said it’s seeking $500,000 to expand Cardinal service to daily from the current three times a week. The national passenger line also wants $4.4 million in capital funds for track work that will speed traffic times between Indy and Dyer, Ind.

* Evanston Now | Plan to pay mayoral candidates tabled: When the measure’s sponsor, Ald. Juan Geracaris (9th) suggested the money was just “supporting the election process,” Suffredin countered that the funds would not do something nonpartisan — like holding more candidate forums — but would instead go directly to the candidates — turning over taxpayer money to them without the taxpayers’ consent.

* NPR Illinois | Does the Mississippi River have rights?: Glenda Guster was among the roughly 80 people to join the Great Plains Action Society’s Walk for River Rights — the centerpiece of a three-day summit earlier this month for Black and indigenous organizers from across the Mississippi River basin, who, among other things, want to grant the river legal standing.

* Tribune | Chicago Sky’s new group of all-female investors — including Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts — raises the WNBA team’s valuation to $85 million: The Sky’s valuation is now second in the WNBA behind the Seattle Storm, who set their new value at $130 million earlier this year after bringing in 15 new investors for a total of $21 million. These values are a dramatic shift for the league, which saw the Las Vegas Aces sell for only $2 million in 2021 fresh off a Western Conference title.

* WCIA | State offering the chance to shadow lawmakers, Lt. Governor: Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton is teaming up with the State Board of Education and the Illinois Council on Women and Girls to offer girls the chance to shadow women in the Capitol. The Girl’s lead program is accepting applications until June 10th.

* WSIL | Black bear spotted in Southern Illinois, authorities urge not to approach it: The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office said they were notified of a possible bear sighting a couple miles south of Evansville, Ill. They investigated and it was determined, and verified, the bear sighting was a valid report.