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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 14, 2013 | IL | SB 9 | Increases Utility Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 9) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Bill Passed - House (61 - 56) |
| May 30, 2012 | IL | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - House (72 - 44) |
| March 26, 2012 | IL | HB 5789 | Establishes State Park Fees | Bill Passed - House (81 - 29) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | HB 1723 | Amending The Illinois Nuclear Safety Preparedness Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 44) |
| May 30, 2011 | IL | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Bill Passed - House (67 - 47) |
| May 31, 2009 | IL | SB 1918 | Low-Income Energy Assistance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 11) |
| May 15, 2008 | IL | SB 2052 | Taxes for Levee Repair | Bill Passed - House (64 - 44) |
| April 16, 2008 | IL | SB 2052 | Taxes for Levee Repair | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| Oct. 12, 2007 | IL | HB 664 | Homeowner Tax Exemption | Veto Override Passed - Senate (55 - 1) |
| Oct. 3, 2007 | IL | HB 664 | Homeowner Tax Exemption | Veto Override Passed - House (92 - 19) |
| July 26, 2007 | IL | SB 1592 | Electricity Relief and Regulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| July 26, 2007 | IL | SB 1592 | Electricity Relief and Regulation | Bill Passed - House (80 - 33) |
| April 20, 2007 | IL | S. Amdt. 3: Electric Rates Freeze | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 24) | |
| April 20, 2007 | IL | SB 1592 | Electric Rates Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| Feb. 23, 2007 | IL | SB 9 | Illinois Climate Change Act | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/14 | SB 9 | Increases Utility Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 9) |
| 5/31 | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 5/31 | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
| 5/31 | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Bill Passed - House (61 - 56) |
| 5/30 | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - House (72 - 44) |
| 3/26 | HB 5789 | Establishes State Park Fees | Bill Passed - House (81 - 29) |
| 5/31 | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24) |
| 5/31 | HB 1723 | Amending The Illinois Nuclear Safety Preparedness Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 44) |
| 5/30 | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Bill Passed - House (67 - 47) |
| 5/31 | SB 1918 | Low-Income Energy Assistance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 11) |
| 5/15 | SB 2052 | Taxes for Levee Repair | Bill Passed - House (64 - 44) |
| 4/16 | SB 2052 | Taxes for Levee Repair | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| 10/12 | HB 664 | Homeowner Tax Exemption | Veto Override Passed - Senate (55 - 1) |
| 10/03 | HB 664 | Homeowner Tax Exemption | Veto Override Passed - House (92 - 19) |
| 7/26 | SB 1592 | Electricity Relief and Regulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| 7/26 | SB 1592 | Electricity Relief and Regulation | Bill Passed - House (80 - 33) |
| 4/20 | S. Amdt. 3: Electric Rates Freeze | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 24) | |
| 4/20 | SB 1592 | Electric Rates Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| 2/23 | SB 9 | Illinois Climate Change Act | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 13) |