Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. I’m headed out to my first dinner out at a restaurant tonight, and have to admit I’m both excited and a little scared.

A day after Vice President Mike Pence told the nation’s governors to pull back on talking about coronavirus outbreaks, Gov. J.B. Pritzker was making plans to get tested for the disease.

Pritzker is among Illinois Democrats who have come in contact with state Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who tested positive for Covid-19 Tuesday, making him the highest-ranking state official to contract the coronavirus.

Raoul, Pritzker, and other officials attended an event June 6 in Calumet City, prompting the governor to get tested. The governor wore a mask when interacting with people June 6 but is taking a test to confirm he’s as healthy as he feels, his spokeswoman said. Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is getting tested, too. State Sen. Elgie Sims and numerous members of the legislative Black Caucus also attended but it’s not clear if they’re getting tested.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch say they didn’t come in contact with Raoul that day so they’re passing on a test. “That was 10 days ago and I feel great,” Welch told Playbook.

The question about testing came after Raoul announced Tuesday that he had contracted Covid-19.

During a phone call with Playbook the previous day, Raoul couldn’t contain a cough and acknowledged he had been tested for the virus. Before our conversation was over, he had to take a call from his doctor.

In a release Tuesday, Raoul said he was “self-isolating” since the onset of symptoms “and will continue to do so in accordance with guidance from my doctor and public health authorities.” The Illinois AG said his team is notifying people he may have come in contact with.

“Although the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Illinois is decreasing, I urge people to follow guidance from public health officials by staying at least six feet away from others, wearing a face mask when around others, and washing your hands often," Raoul said in a statement.

“I am fortunate to be otherwise healthy and am following recommendations to protect those around me,” he said. “My symptoms continue to be mild, and I am in regular contact with my staff in order to continue to manage the operations of my office. As I join the countless Illinois residents working from home, the programs and services provided by the Attorney General’s office will continue uninterrupted."

Raoul getting the virus is a testament to the ferocity of the disease even as cases level off in Illinois.

The AG’s case helps bring attention to Covid-19 just as Pence is trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. During a teleconference with governors, the vice president "incorrectly argued” that the spike in cases in nearly half the country is a function of more testing, according to Ryan Lizza and Renuka Rayasam in POLITICO’s Nightly newsletter.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new law expanding mail-in voting in Illinois for the General Election, but the measure pales in comparison to other states.

The law allows nearly 5 million Illinois voters to receive applications to vote by mail. Those applications will be sent to anyone who voted or registered to vote in the past three years. After filling out the application and sending it in, residents will receive a ballot.

The law doesn’t include anyone who voted in 2016, a voting segment seen as likely to vote but needing the extra nudge that would come with a ballot being sent to their home.

And it creates extra steps. “Having to send back an application is another barrier for voters and still a lot of work for administrators" because of all the applications that will have to be processed, Alisa Kaplan, executive director for Reform for Illinois, told Playbook. “We want to make voting by mail as easy as possible.”

Other states have done just that by sending out ballots. A few weeks ago, California announced it was sending ballots to all registered voters for November. And New Jersey, Maryland and Nevada are sending or have sent voters ballots for their primaries.

In Illinois, some state lawmakers shuddered at the idea of sending everyone a ballot, claiming it could lead to fraud.

Another reason not spoken aloud is that expanding access to the polls challenges the structure of a political universe centered on trying to control who votes.

As the Tribune’s Dan Petrella notes: “Mail-in voting has become a partisan flashpoint during the pandemic, with President Donald Trump railing against expansion efforts despite having voted by mail in Florida’s March primary.”

Presiding over the City Council meeting at 10 a.m.

At the North Lawndale Shopping Center at 1:30 p.m. with state Sens. Kimberly Lightford, Omar Aquino and others to discuss grants to help businesses impacted by Covid-19.

At Cook County Building with Interim Bureau Chief of Asset Management Elizabeth Granato and Director of Facilities Management Bilqis Jacobs-El to discuss reopening plans for county offices.

— BY THE NUMBERS: The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 72 new deaths to the coronavirus and 623 new confirmed cases. That’s a total of 6,398 fatalities and 133,639 cases in 101 counties in Illinois. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from June 9 – June 15 is 3 percent.

— Walking the fine, hard line in fighting Covid-19: “Lightfoot and Pritzker have led huge progress. But imposing arbitrary rules will make their job tougher,” writes Crain’s Greg Hinz.

— What Colorado is getting right about reopening, by POLITICO’s Dan Goldberg.

QUOTABLE: “‘When I look at the TV and I see pictures of people congregating at bars when the location they are indicates they shouldn’t be doing that, that’s very risky,’ Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious-disease expert, said in an interview Tuesday. ‘People keep talking about a second wave,’ he added. ‘We’re still in a first wave,’” from the Wall Street Journal.

— It’s City Council Day: Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan for $1.1 billion in federal CARES Act spending to help Chicago deal with the costs and needs due to the coronavirus pandemic will be taken up today by aldermen in today’s City Council meeting. Tribune’s John Byrne wrote about the package last week.

— Pols push for Chicago to serve as ‘hub city’ for NHL return from coronavirus shutdown: “Mayor Lori Lightfoot and state Rep. Mike Zalewski say the city would be the perfect host as the league eyes a return to action after three months,” by Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout.

— Lightfoot tenant notice ordinance saved from legislative purgatory over progressives’ objections: “Aldermen moved Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s tenant notice ordinance a step closer to passage Tuesday, over the objections of opponents who say it doesn’t do enough to protect renters and that the administration is blocking measures that would do more. Lightfoot’s ordinance that would require more notice and in some cases payments to renters from landlords who are not renewing their leases will be sent from the Rules Committee to the Housing Committee, where it likely will get a hearing before the July City Council meeting,” by Tribune’s John Byrne.

— Aldermen push competing proposals to defund, re-fund Chicago Police Department: “On one side, 11 aldermen are demanding that not a penny of the $333 million in discretionary federal stimulus money be spent on policing. But two aldermen from wards that are home to scores of cops have other ideas,” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

— Mayoral ally proposes ban on flavored tobacco products: “Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th) plans to introduce the ban at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. He cited data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that showed a surge in electronic cigarette use among high school students — from 1.5 percent in 2011 to 27.5 percent in 2019,” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

— More Chicago companies honoring Junteenth: “Juneteenth largely has been just another workday at Chicago companies — until now. In the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police and the Black Lives Matter protests that have followed, Illinois companies are joining employers elsewhere in marking the day on Friday — by closing offices and giving employees a paid day off,” reports Tribune’s Ally Marotti.

— The Point at Six Corners wins zoning approval: “The 10-story complex at Milwaukee and Cicero avenues and Irving Park Road includes a 258-unit residential building for senior citizens, 215 parking spaces and a 45,000 square-foot retail complex anchored by an Aldi,” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

— Crossing racial, ethnic lines in the name of activism: “Different communities come together to answer the call of social justice,” writes Tribune’s Darcel Rockett.

— Iconic Ray’s Music Exchange mural from ‘Blues Brothers’ dance scene lost after building burns during unrest: “In the famous scene, the Blues Brothers visit Ray Charles, who plays “Shake A Tail Feather” while people dance in front of the mural,” by Bob Chiarito for Block Club.

— Lincoln Yards drive-in theater opens next week with ‘Ferris Bueller’: “The venture promises to show ‘modern classics’ on Near North Side all summer,” writes Sun-Times’ Darel Jevens.

— ComEd quadruples payments to powerhouse law firm amidst corruption probe: “Federal regulatory documents show ComEd paid Jenner & Block nearly $2.4 million in 2019 — more than what the power company had reported paying the law firm in the previous four years combined,” by WBEZ’s Tony Arnold and Dan Mihalopoulos.

— Criminal charges related to Arroyo bribery case expected in ‘near future,’ lawyers say: “The court record offers no clue at who might be charged — or what accusations might be made — in the political corruption case involving the former state representative,” by Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel.

— DELAYING A CHANCE AT FREEDOM: “Two days before a hearing that could have set him free, the courthouse shut down. Now inmates like LaRon Warren wait, as they try to dodge coronavirus,” writes Tribune’s Ray Long.

— Must Chicago destroy records of police complaints after 5 years? Illinois Supreme Court scheduled to decide this week: “In the midst of an almost deafening national and local outcry over police abuses, the Illinois Supreme Court may order the city of Chicago to destroy all records of complaints against police officers that are more than five years old, potentially undermining attempts to identify problematic officers,” reports WBEZ’s Patrick Smith.

— Opinion: Lightfoot reminds us elected officials meeting in secret can’t be trusted: “Elected officials, even ones who profess to be reformers, such as Lightfoot come to believe the government belongs to them and not the people,” by Phil Kadner for the Sun-Times.

— FARM AID FOR ILLINOIS: Three weeks since USDA launched its $16 billion farm aid program, the department has approved $2.9 billion in direct payments to producers whose businesses have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. More than 220,000 farmers have received funding so far, according to USDA’s weekly update. Iowa farmers have received around $314 million, the most of any state. Nebraska producers got more than $207 million, followed by Illinois, Kansas and Minnesota that have each received at least $150 million as of Monday. HT/POLITICO’s Ryan McCrimmon.

— Bloomington used tear gas on protesters, according to the New York Times. Chicago did not.

— Superintendents ponder tricky question: What will it take to reopen schools? “Earlier this month, a superintendent of a small school district in western Illinois created a list of 100 questions for school districts to answer before reopening in the fall, pending a decision from the Illinois State Board of Education,” by Chalkbeat Chicago’s Samantha Smylie.

— More than 5M Illinoisans have already filed taxes despite extension, reports Center Square’s Kevin Bessler.

— Reading room: Former state Rep. Roger Eddy has written a book offering a behind-the-scenes look at business in the state capitol, reports Robinson Daily News’ Tom Osborne.

— Trump turns to establishment players to offset his renegade instincts, by POLITICO’s Gabby Orr

— House and Senate set for clash on police reform, by POLITICO’s Heather Caygle, Sarah Ferris and Andrew Desiderio

— How ‘Defund the Police’ went from moonshot to mainstream, by POLITICO’s Maya King

— McConnell to keep grip on GOP even if Republicans lose Senate, by POLITICO’s Burgess Everett and John Bresnahan

EMMONS FORMS PAC: Former congressional candidate Robert Emmons Jr. has teamed with gun violence prevention organizers to launch Our Everyday Political Action Committee. The PAC’s goal: “refocus the national gun violence prevention conversation on the everyday gun violence experienced in black and Latino communities,” the organization says in a statement.

WIND’s Amy Jacobson wins battle to cover Pritzker news conferences: “Jacobson, who co-hosts mornings on Salem Media news/talk WIND 560-AM with Dan Proft, sued Pritzker and his press secretary, Jordan Abudayyeh, earlier this month for barring Jacobson from daily news conferences….On Monday Pritzker and Abudayyeh rescinded the ban and invited Jacobson ‘to participate in the Governor’s press access on the same basis as other journalists,’” reports Robert Feder in the Daily Herald.

— Chicago Police Department’s first deputy superintendent announces upcoming retirement: “Anthony Riccio will retire Aug. 1 as the department’s first deputy superintendent, a post he’s held since 2018….Anthony Riccio will retire Aug. 1 as the department’s first deputy superintendent, a post he’s held since 2018,” writes Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner.

— Chicago’s buildings commissioner calling it a career: “Judy Frydland’s mother, a Holocaust survivor, is about to turn 91. ‘I need to spend this time with my mom because, if something happens to her this year and I waited one more year, I don’t think I could forgive myself. She’s been through so much in her life,’” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

— Rep. Rodney Davis has a new communications director: Aaron DeGroot, who’s based in the district and spent the last five years in Illinois GOP politics, started Monday. Davis’ former comms director Ashley Phelps has moved over to the House Administration Committee, where Davis is ranking member.

EMR Principal Consultant David Dolkart, state Rep. Jeff Keicher (70th), Craig Roberts, chief of staff to outgoing Rep. John Shimkus, and MWRD Commissioner Kari Steele.

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