It's the final week of the spring session in Springfield, and the race is on to get bills passed before Friday's deadline.

Why it matters: If lawmakers don't get their bills passed this week, they'll likely have to wait until fall's veto session, where it becomes much harder.

Yes, but: Friday's deadline is self-imposed. The law says new bills can be passed before the fiscal year ends on June 30.

Here are five bills/issues to watch this week:

The budget

The main job lawmakers have during the spring session is to pass the state budget.

Even with Democratic majorities in both chambers, Gov. JB Pritzker's budget may not get done by the self-imposed deadline.

Friction point: Raising taxes. Democrats seem hesitant, but it's a big part of the governor's budget.

• Also, spending for migrant services.

The intrigue: The governor's office sent a memo to lawmakers last week with suggested cuts if they can't balance the budget.

Adjusting the BIPA privacy law

In 2008, Illinois passed one of the strictest privacy laws in the country. If tech companies want to store biometric data on Illinois customers, they need consent. If they don't get consent, residents — not just the state's attorney offices — can sue.

The result: Class-action lawsuits have netted massive settlements from social media companies like Facebook, Google and others.

Yes, but: After huge pushback from tech companies, the General Assembly passed legislation that would curb litigation and damages.

• Pritzker hasn't signaled if he would sign it.

Schools/Education

Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union on two separate occasions traveled to Springfield to advocate for more money for schools.

• It's unclear if their efforts will lead to any legislation this week.

Yes, but: The House did pass a bill that would prevent CPS from cutting selective enrollment schools' budgets more than others' and put a moratorium on school closings through 2027, something that CTU and the mayor oppose.

Two more bills to watch

Chicago's famed Maxwell Street Market will return to its old namesake street in University Village for the first time in decades when it opens for the season this Sunday.

Why it matters: The most recent market location, along Desplaines Avenue, now hosts the city's landing zone for processing and temporarily housing migrants, making a return to that area problematic.

• The market shrank significantly in recent years after temporary COVID closings and new rules sent many vendors to other markets. Officials hope the nostalgic location can reverse the trend.

What they're saying: "The Maxwell Street Market has been a Chicago tradition for more than a century," Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement.

The excitement: While city officials haven't yet finalized the vendor lineup, they plan to feature live music (not just that awesome dude on solo blues guitar) and local eateries including Express Grill, Hashbrowns, Jim's Original Hot Dog, Lalo's and Bar Louie.

• Monica would love to see nearby Ghareeb Nawaz get in on the act too.

The bummer: The market schedule has slowed this year to a monthly pace, with just six dates spring through fall, down from a weekly year-round cadence during its heyday.

If you go: Monthly markets will run May 26 through Oct. 27.

• Admission is free.

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🪧 Pro-Palestinian protesters took over the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics building in Hyde Park Friday. The activity drew a police response. (Block Club)

🗞️ The Chicago Tribune printed its final paper at the Freedom Center yesterday. The printing press was sold to make way for the new Bally's Chicago casino. (Tribune)

⚾️ After Saturday's outing, Cubs pitcher Shōta Imanaga has a 0.84 ERA, the lowest by any rookie after nine starts in MLB history. (NBC Sports)

👋 Hi! It's Carrie.

When you're a Cookie Monster like me, you can sniff out a fresh batch from miles away.

Driving the news: The national chain Chip City just opened its first Chicago spot in Streeterville, joining a growing list of cookie chains arriving to augment a great local selection.

Dig in: That inspired me to take on the tough task of trying the chains' chocolate chip cookies to find the best.

Here's how they rank:

1. The best bite: Chip City

55 E. Chicago Ave.

Chip City's brown butter batter takes it a step further than your average cc cookie, and the crunchy outer ring is perfect. Plus, the vegan version is great! ($5)

What to try: The cookie butter cookie filled with Biscoff cookie butter. Also vegan!

2. Levain Bakery

840 W. Randolph St., 408 N. Clark St.

I was initially skeptical of this New York-based chain; seemed like a lot of hype. But the undercooked center and abundance of high-quality chocolate make this a standout. ($5.25)

Plus, they go for thickness over diameter, the way my mom makes them.

3. Crumbl

Several in Chicago and the 'burbs.

I'm a sucker for sea salt and chocolate, but the sea salt doesn't come through enough. The center is soft but not undercooked. I'd opt for one of their special cookies that they rotate weekly. ($4.99)

More cookies

📫 Tell us your favorite chocolate chip cookie! Hit reply.

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This week, Foxtrot and Dom's filed for bankruptcy after abruptly closing 17 stores in April.

The big picture: They join a very large grocery store graveyard in Chicago, dating back centuries.

State of play: For our monthly tournament, we want to crown the best Chicago grocery store of all time!

Methodology: It's up to you to: size, cost, selection, nostalgia and hometown pride all count.

• We know there are more than 16 great shops but had to cull and decided to leave out some national behemoths like Walmart and Target.

🛒 Are you ready for the first round? Vote here. We'll keep it open until 4pm.