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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 15, 2009 | IL | SB 1216 | 2009-2010 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (45 - 10) |
| July 15, 2009 | IL | SB 1292 | Issuing of Bonds for Revenue | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 12) |
| June 30, 2009 | IL | SB 415 | Bond Approval | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| May 30, 2009 | IL | HB 174 | Income Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
| May 28, 2009 | IL | HB 7 | Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 22) |
| May 20, 2009 | IL | HB 255 | Video Gambling in Various Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 12) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | IL | HB 4201 | Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 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) |
| May 1, 2008 | IL | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| April 16, 2008 | IL | SB 2052 | Taxes for Levee Repair | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| 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) |
| Oct. 12, 2007 | IL | HB 664 | Homeowner Tax Exemption | Veto Override Passed - Senate (55 - 1) |
| Sept. 18, 2007 | IL | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Aug. 10, 2007 | IL | HB 3866 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 5) |
| Aug. 9, 2007 | IL | HB 556 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24) |
| May 17, 2007 | IL | HB 1798 | Wrongful Death Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| May 15, 2007 | IL | HB 426 | Earlier Presidential Primary Date | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 10) |
| March 20, 2007 | IL | SB 1296 | Damages in Civil Actions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| May 4, 2006 | IL | SB 1520 | 2006-2007 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
| May 4, 2006 | IL | HB 1918 | Support Horseracing Through Riverboat Casinos in Chicago | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 16) |
| April 6, 2006 | IL | SB 3053 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| April 6, 2006 | IL | SB 668 | Funding for Schools, Universities, and Roads | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/15 | SB 1216 | 2009-2010 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (45 - 10) |
| 7/15 | SB 1292 | Issuing of Bonds for Revenue | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 12) |
| 6/30 | SB 415 | Bond Approval | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| 5/30 | HB 174 | Income Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
| 5/28 | HB 7 | Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 22) |
| 5/20 | HB 255 | Video Gambling in Various Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 12) |
| 8/19 | HB 4201 | Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 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) |
| 5/01 | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| 4/16 | SB 2052 | Taxes for Levee Repair | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| 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) |
| 10/12 | HB 664 | Homeowner Tax Exemption | Veto Override Passed - Senate (55 - 1) |
| 9/18 | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 8/10 | HB 3866 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 5) |
| 8/09 | HB 556 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24) |
| 5/17 | HB 1798 | Wrongful Death Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| 5/15 | HB 426 | Earlier Presidential Primary Date | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 10) |
| 3/20 | SB 1296 | Damages in Civil Actions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| 5/04 | SB 1520 | 2006-2007 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
| 5/04 | HB 1918 | Support Horseracing Through Riverboat Casinos in Chicago | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 16) |
| 4/06 | SB 3053 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| 4/06 | SB 668 | Funding for Schools, Universities, and Roads | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 26) |