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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 25, 2017 | IL | HB 40 | Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - House (62 - 55) |
| March 3, 2016 | IL | HB 580 | Requires Mediation of Expired State Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 17) |
| Feb. 16, 2016 | IL | HB 580 | Requires Mediation of Expired State Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| Nov. 10, 2015 | IL | SB 570 | Requires Child Care Benefits for Eligible Individuals | Bill Failed - House (70 - 35) |
| Sept. 2, 2015 | IL | SB 1229 | Establishes Arbitration Procedure For Labor Disputes | Veto Override Failed - House (68 - 34) |
| 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 217 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19) |
| May 19, 2015 | IL | HB 217 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - House (68 - 43) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | IL | SB 11 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| May 30, 2014 | IL | SB 274 | Requires Salary Payments to State Legislators | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 18) |
| May 30, 2014 | IL | SB 274 | Requires Salary Payments to State Legislators | Bill Passed - House (65 - 48) |
| May 27, 2014 | IL | HB 1154 | Amends Cook County Pension Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| May 22, 2014 | IL | SJRCA 75 | Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| April 10, 2014 | IL | HB 8 | Requires Accommodations for Pregnant Workers | Bill Passed - House (65 - 36) |
| April 8, 2014 | IL | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| April 8, 2014 | IL | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - House (73 - 41) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | IL | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | IL | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Bill Passed - House (62 - 48) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Nov. 6, 2013 | IL | SB 1523 | Amends Pension Code | Bill Passed - House (87 - 26) |
| Nov. 6, 2013 | IL | SB 1523 | Amends Pension Code | Bill Passed - House (87 - 26) |
| Nov. 5, 2013 | IL | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| Nov. 5, 2013 | IL | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (61 - 54) |
| April 11, 2013 | IL | HJRCA 18 | Repeals the Position of Lieutenant Governor | Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 28) |
| March 20, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 22) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | IL | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21) |
| Jan. 8, 2013 | IL | SB 957 | Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (65 - 46) |
| Dec. 4, 2012 | IL | SB 957 | Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| May 24, 2012 | IL | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13) |
| May 24, 2012 | IL | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - House (94 - 22) |
| May 10, 2012 | IL | SB 1313 | Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20) |
| May 9, 2012 | IL | SB 1313 | Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 43) |
| March 29, 2012 | IL | HB 5531 | Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees | Bill Failed - House (26 - 75) |
| March 29, 2012 | IL | HB 5531 | Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees | Bill Failed - House (26 - 75) |
| March 21, 2012 | IL | HB 3944 | Authorizing the Recording of Police | Bill Failed - House (45 - 59) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | HB 1698 | Amends Workers' Compensation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 43) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 1178 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 25) |
| May 30, 2011 | IL | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Bill Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| May 30, 2011 | IL | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
| May 27, 2011 | IL | SB 1177 | General Assembly Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 22) |
| May 4, 2011 | IL | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 11) |
| Jan. 10, 2011 | IL | SB 3644 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 49) |
| Jan. 4, 2011 | IL | SB 3976 | Rules to Govern the Redistricting Process | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| Dec. 1, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
| Nov. 30, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
| May 27, 2010 | IL | SB 3658 | Temporary Sales Tax Holiday | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 8) |
| May 27, 2010 | IL | SB 3660 | Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 23) |
| May 25, 2010 | IL | SB 3514 | Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 44) |
| May 25, 2010 | IL | SB 3514 | Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 44) |
| May 25, 2010 | IL | SB 3660 | Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011 | Bill Passed - House (67 - 50) |
| May 6, 2010 | IL | SB 3658 | Temporary Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - House (65 - 51) |
| May 5, 2010 | IL | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 9) |
| April 29, 2010 | IL | SJR 121 | Redistricting Process Modifications | Bill Failed - House (69 - 47) |
| April 27, 2010 | IL | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (73 - 41) |
| April 21, 2010 | IL | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| April 14, 2010 | IL | SJR 121 | Redistricting Process Modifications | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (36 - 22) |
| March 26, 2010 | IL | HB 5109 | Prohibiting Public Funding of Portraits of Governors Removed From Office | Bill Passed - House (85 - 23) |
| March 25, 2010 | IL | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| March 24, 2010 | IL | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 22, 2010 | IL | HB 4886 | Authorizing 4-Day School Week | Bill Passed - House (81 - 21) |
| March 18, 2010 | IL | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 39) |
| March 18, 2010 | IL | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| March 3, 2010 | IL | HB 4685 | Eliminating General Assembly Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - House (80 - 36) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | IL | HB 4654 | Limiting Free Mass Transit for Seniors | Bill Passed - House (83 - 27) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | IL | HB 4654 | Limiting Free Mass Transit for Seniors | Bill Passed - House (83 - 27) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | IL | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | IL | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 30) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IL | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IL | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 37) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/25 | HB 40 | Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - House (62 - 55) |
| 3/03 | HB 580 | Requires Mediation of Expired State Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 17) |
| 2/16 | HB 580 | Requires Mediation of Expired State Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| 11/10 | SB 570 | Requires Child Care Benefits for Eligible Individuals | Bill Failed - House (70 - 35) |
| 9/02 | SB 1229 | Establishes Arbitration Procedure For Labor Disputes | Veto Override Failed - House (68 - 34) |
| 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 217 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19) |
| 5/19 | HB 217 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - House (68 - 43) |
| 2/05 | SB 11 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| 5/30 | SB 274 | Requires Salary Payments to State Legislators | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 18) |
| 5/30 | SB 274 | Requires Salary Payments to State Legislators | Bill Passed - House (65 - 48) |
| 5/27 | HB 1154 | Amends Cook County Pension Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| 5/22 | SJRCA 75 | Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 4/10 | HB 8 | Requires Accommodations for Pregnant Workers | Bill Passed - House (65 - 36) |
| 4/08 | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| 4/08 | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - House (73 - 41) |
| 2/05 | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 2/04 | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Bill Passed - House (62 - 48) |
| 12/03 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| 12/03 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| 12/03 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 12/03 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 11/06 | SB 1523 | Amends Pension Code | Bill Passed - House (87 - 26) |
| 11/06 | SB 1523 | Amends Pension Code | Bill Passed - House (87 - 26) |
| 11/05 | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| 11/05 | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (61 - 54) |
| 4/11 | HJRCA 18 | Repeals the Position of Lieutenant Governor | Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 28) |
| 3/20 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 22) |
| 2/14 | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21) |
| 1/08 | SB 957 | Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (65 - 46) |
| 12/04 | SB 957 | Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14) |
| 5/31 | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 5/24 | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13) |
| 5/24 | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - House (94 - 22) |
| 5/10 | SB 1313 | Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20) |
| 5/09 | SB 1313 | Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 43) |
| 3/29 | HB 5531 | Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees | Bill Failed - House (26 - 75) |
| 3/29 | HB 5531 | Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees | Bill Failed - House (26 - 75) |
| 3/21 | HB 3944 | Authorizing the Recording of Police | Bill Failed - House (45 - 59) |
| 5/31 | HB 1698 | Amends Workers' Compensation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 43) |
| 5/31 | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| 5/31 | SB 1178 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 25) |
| 5/30 | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Bill Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| 5/30 | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
| 5/27 | SB 1177 | General Assembly Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 22) |
| 5/04 | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 11) |
| 1/10 | SB 3644 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 49) |
| 1/04 | SB 3976 | Rules to Govern the Redistricting Process | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| 12/01 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
| 11/30 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
| 5/27 | SB 3658 | Temporary Sales Tax Holiday | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 8) |
| 5/27 | SB 3660 | Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 23) |
| 5/25 | SB 3514 | Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 44) |
| 5/25 | SB 3514 | Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 44) |
| 5/25 | SB 3660 | Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011 | Bill Passed - House (67 - 50) |
| 5/06 | SB 3658 | Temporary Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - House (65 - 51) |
| 5/05 | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 9) |
| 4/29 | SJR 121 | Redistricting Process Modifications | Bill Failed - House (69 - 47) |
| 4/27 | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (73 - 41) |
| 4/21 | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| 4/14 | SJR 121 | Redistricting Process Modifications | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (36 - 22) |
| 3/26 | HB 5109 | Prohibiting Public Funding of Portraits of Governors Removed From Office | Bill Passed - House (85 - 23) |
| 3/25 | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| 3/24 | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 3/22 | HB 4886 | Authorizing 4-Day School Week | Bill Passed - House (81 - 21) |
| 3/18 | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 39) |
| 3/18 | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| 3/03 | HB 4685 | Eliminating General Assembly Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - House (80 - 36) |
| 2/24 | HB 4654 | Limiting Free Mass Transit for Seniors | Bill Passed - House (83 - 27) |
| 2/24 | HB 4654 | Limiting Free Mass Transit for Seniors | Bill Passed - House (83 - 27) |
| 1/13 | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| 1/13 | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 30) |
| 1/12 | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 1/12 | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 37) |