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:
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.
| 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) |