Key Votes

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Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.

For more information about the legislative process, see here.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
July 2, 2017 IL SB 9 Increases Taxes to Fund the State Budget Bill Passed - House (72 - 45)
June 27, 2017 IL HB 3904 Requires Gender-Responsive Practices in Women's Prisons Concurrence Vote Passed - House
May 31, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1 Specifies School Funding Reallocation Bill Passed - House (60 - 52)
May 31, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1351 Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers Bill Passed - House (63 - 48)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
May 30, 2017 IL SB 81 Establishes New Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (61 - 53)
May 30, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
May 30, 2017 IL SB 1696 Establishes a Muslim Advisory Council Bill Passed - House
May 29, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - House (62 - 49)
May 25, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
May 23, 2017 IL SB 9 Increases Taxes to Fund the State Budget Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 26)
May 17, 2017 IL SB 1 Specifies School Funding Reallocation Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
May 17, 2017 IL SB 7 Establishes Gambling Industry Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 24)
May 17, 2017 IL SB 6 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
May 10, 2017 IL HB 40 Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22)
May 10, 2017 IL SB 1351 Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
May 5, 2017 IL SB 1933 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
May 5, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 0)
May 4, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
April 28, 2017 IL HB 3649 Requires Monthly Reports on State Debt Bill Passed - House (70 - 40)
April 27, 2017 IL SB 14 Establishes New Pension Guidelines Bill Passed - House (63 - 45)
April 27, 2017 IL SB 1657 Requires State-Level License to Sell Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 21)
April 26, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - House (91 - 24)
April 26, 2017 IL HB 2977 Requires Public Schools to Provide Cursive Writing Courses Bill Passed - House (67 - 48)
April 25, 2017 IL HB 40 Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions Bill Passed - House (62 - 55)
April 6, 2017 IL HB 109 Establishes Stopgap Budget Bill Passed - House (64 - 45)
May 31, 2016 IL SB 2048 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 31)
May 31, 2016 IL SB 2048 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 31)
May 30, 2016 IL SB 777 Amends Chicago Police and Firefighter Pension Plans Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 43)
May 30, 2016 IL SB 777 Amends Chicago Police and Firefighter Pension Plans Veto Override Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
May 26, 2016 IL SB 2048 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Bill Passed - House (60 - 53)
May 25, 2016 IL SB 1564 Requires Healthcare Workers to Provide Treatment Options Bill Passed - House (61 - 54)
May 19, 2016 IL HB 3655 Establishes Regulations for Fantasy Sports Contests Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
May 19, 2016 IL HB 4167 Appropriates Funds for Monetary Award Program Grants Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15)
May 19, 2016 IL SB 250 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 16)
May 18, 2016 IL SB 2228 Classifies Minor Marijuana Possession as Civil Violation Bill Passed - House (64 - 50)
May 18, 2016 IL SB 3011 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
May 17, 2016 IL HB 4167 Appropriates Funds for Monetary Award Program Grants Bill Passed - House (68 - 45)
May 10, 2016 IL SB 231 Appropriates Funds for Education Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
April 21, 2016 IL HB 5576 Requires Health Insurance Plans to Cover Birth Control Bill Passed - House (61 - 52)
April 21, 2016 IL HB 696 Repeals Property Tax in Non-Home Rule Communities Bill Passed - House (71 - 31)
April 19, 2016 IL SB 2228 Classifies Minor Marijuana Possession as Civil Violation Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
April 5, 2016 IL SB 2465 Prohibits Certain Lawsuits against Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 19)
March 17, 2016 IL SB 2059 2016 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 18)
March 3, 2016 IL HB 580 Requires Mediation of Expired State Collective Bargaining Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/02 SB 9 Increases Taxes to Fund the State Budget Bill Passed - House (72 - 45)
6/27 HB 3904 Requires Gender-Responsive Practices in Women's Prisons Concurrence Vote Passed - House
5/31 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
5/31 SB 1 Specifies School Funding Reallocation Bill Passed - House (60 - 52)
5/31 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
5/31 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
5/31 SB 1351 Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers Bill Passed - House (63 - 48)
5/31 SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
5/30 SB 81 Establishes New Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (61 - 53)
5/30 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
5/30 SB 1696 Establishes a Muslim Advisory Council Bill Passed - House
5/29 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - House (62 - 49)
5/25 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
5/23 SB 9 Increases Taxes to Fund the State Budget Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 26)
5/17 SB 1 Specifies School Funding Reallocation Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
5/17 SB 7 Establishes Gambling Industry Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 24)
5/17 SB 6 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
5/10 HB 40 Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22)
5/10 SB 1351 Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
5/05 SB 1933 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
5/05 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 0)
5/04 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
4/28 HB 3649 Requires Monthly Reports on State Debt Bill Passed - House (70 - 40)
4/27 SB 14 Establishes New Pension Guidelines Bill Passed - House (63 - 45)
4/27 SB 1657 Requires State-Level License to Sell Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 21)
4/26 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - House (91 - 24)
4/26 HB 2977 Requires Public Schools to Provide Cursive Writing Courses Bill Passed - House (67 - 48)
4/25 HB 40 Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions Bill Passed - House (62 - 55)
4/06 HB 109 Establishes Stopgap Budget Bill Passed - House (64 - 45)
5/31 SB 2048 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 31)
5/31 SB 2048 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 31)
5/30 SB 777 Amends Chicago Police and Firefighter Pension Plans Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 43)
5/30 SB 777 Amends Chicago Police and Firefighter Pension Plans Veto Override Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
5/26 SB 2048 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Bill Passed - House (60 - 53)
5/25 SB 1564 Requires Healthcare Workers to Provide Treatment Options Bill Passed - House (61 - 54)
5/19 HB 3655 Establishes Regulations for Fantasy Sports Contests Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
5/19 HB 4167 Appropriates Funds for Monetary Award Program Grants Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15)
5/19 SB 250 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 16)
5/18 SB 2228 Classifies Minor Marijuana Possession as Civil Violation Bill Passed - House (64 - 50)
5/18 SB 3011 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
5/17 HB 4167 Appropriates Funds for Monetary Award Program Grants Bill Passed - House (68 - 45)
5/10 SB 231 Appropriates Funds for Education Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
4/21 SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
4/21 SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
4/21 HB 5576 Requires Health Insurance Plans to Cover Birth Control Bill Passed - House (61 - 52)
4/21 HB 696 Repeals Property Tax in Non-Home Rule Communities Bill Passed - House (71 - 31)
4/19 SB 2228 Classifies Minor Marijuana Possession as Civil Violation Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
4/05 SB 2465 Prohibits Certain Lawsuits against Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 19)
3/17 SB 2059 2016 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 18)
3/03 HB 580 Requires Mediation of Expired State Collective Bargaining Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 17)

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