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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 2014 | IL | SB 274 | Requires Salary Payments to State Legislators | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 18) |
| 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 8, 2014 | IL | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | IL | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 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. 5, 2013 | IL | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| 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) |
| 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 10, 2012 | IL | SB 1313 | Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 1178 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 25) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| 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) |
| Dec. 1, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
| 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 5, 2010 | IL | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 9) |
| 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 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 18, 2010 | IL | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | IL | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IL | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Oct. 15, 2009 | IL | HJRCA 31 | Authorizing Governor Recall Elections | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 1) |
| May 31, 2009 | IL | SB 1918 | Low-Income Energy Assistance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 11) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | IL | HB 4201 | Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | IL | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | IL | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17) |
| May 29, 2008 | IL | SB 788 | Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| May 27, 2008 | IL | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| May 1, 2008 | IL | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| Jan. 10, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| May 17, 2007 | IL | HB 1798 | Wrongful Death Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| March 29, 2007 | IL | SB 500 | Smoke Free Illinois Act | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| March 20, 2007 | IL | SB 1296 | Damages in Civil Actions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| Nov. 15, 2006 | IL | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| March 1, 2006 | IL | SB 1991 | Minority and Female Investors in Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/30 | SB 274 | Requires Salary Payments to State Legislators | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 18) |
| 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) |
| 4/08 | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| 2/05 | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 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) |
| 11/05 | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 5/10 | SB 1313 | Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20) |
| 5/31 | SB 1178 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 25) |
| 5/31 | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| 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) |
| 12/01 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
| 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) |
| 5/05 | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 9) |
| 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) |
| 3/25 | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| 3/24 | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 3/18 | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| 1/13 | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| 1/12 | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 10/15 | HJRCA 31 | Authorizing Governor Recall Elections | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 1) |
| 5/31 | SB 1918 | Low-Income Energy Assistance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 11) |
| 8/19 | HB 4201 | Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 8/19 | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17) |
| 8/19 | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17) |
| 5/29 | SB 788 | Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| 5/27 | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 5/01 | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| 5/17 | HB 1798 | Wrongful Death Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| 3/29 | SB 500 | Smoke Free Illinois Act | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| 3/20 | SB 1296 | Damages in Civil Actions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| 11/15 | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 3/01 | SB 1991 | Minority and Female Investors in Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 23) |