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
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 27, 2017 IL SB 1657 Requires State-Level License to Sell Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 21)
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 - Senate (39 - 19)
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 3011 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
May 10, 2016 IL SB 231 Appropriates Funds for Education Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
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)
March 2, 2016 IL SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
Sept. 9, 2015 IL HB 1 Expands Heroin Abuse Treatment Programs Veto Override Passed - Senate (44 - 11)
Sept. 9, 2015 IL SB 2046 Appropriates Funds for the Department of Public Health Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 19)
Aug. 19, 2015 IL SB 1229 Establishes Arbitration Procedure For Labor Disputes Veto Override Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
May 30, 2015 IL SB 1229 Establishes Arbitration Procedure For Labor Disputes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 17)
May 29, 2015 IL HB 4151 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24)
May 29, 2015 IL HB 217 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
May 21, 2015 IL HB 352 Authorizes Bobcat Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
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)
4/27 SB 1657 Requires State-Level License to Sell Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 21)
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 - Senate (39 - 19)
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 3011 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
5/10 SB 231 Appropriates Funds for Education Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
4/21 SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
4/21 SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
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)
3/02 SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
9/09 HB 1 Expands Heroin Abuse Treatment Programs Veto Override Passed - Senate (44 - 11)
9/09 SB 2046 Appropriates Funds for the Department of Public Health Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 19)
8/19 SB 1229 Establishes Arbitration Procedure For Labor Disputes Veto Override Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
5/30 SB 1229 Establishes Arbitration Procedure For Labor Disputes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 17)
5/29 HB 4151 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24)
5/29 HB 217 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
5/21 HB 352 Authorizes Bobcat Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)

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