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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |