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 31, 2017 | IL | HB 1785 | Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| May 31, 2017 | IL | HB 1785 | Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| May 30, 2017 | IL | HB 2462 | Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| May 17, 2017 | IL | SB 7 | Establishes Gambling Industry Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| May 10, 2017 | IL | HB 40 | Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22) |
| May 5, 2017 | IL | SB 1761 | Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 0) |
| May 4, 2017 | IL | SB 31 | Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21) |
| April 27, 2017 | IL | SB 1657 | Requires State-Level License to Sell Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 21) |
| May 19, 2016 | IL | HB 3655 | Establishes Regulations for Fantasy Sports Contests | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| April 5, 2016 | IL | SB 2465 | Prohibits Certain Lawsuits against Inmates | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| May 29, 2015 | IL | HB 217 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19) |
| May 21, 2015 | IL | HB 352 | Authorizes Bobcat Hunting | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| May 22, 2014 | IL | SJRCA 75 | Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| March 20, 2014 | IL | AM 121 | Nomination of Salvador A. Godinez to be Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (37 - 18) |
| Nov. 5, 2013 | IL | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| July 9, 2013 | IL | HB 183 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Firearms | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 17) |
| May 23, 2013 | IL | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20) |
| May 22, 2013 | IL | HB 2675 | Expands Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| May 1, 2013 | IL | SB 1739 | Expands State Casino Development | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20) |
| May 1, 2013 | IL | SB 1639 | Requires Reimbursement for the Sale of Unhealthy Pets | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| April 24, 2013 | IL | SB 923 | Authorizes the Use of Traffic Cameras on School Buses | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 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 | SB 1849 | Expands Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 26) |
| May 24, 2012 | IL | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 744 | Authorizes Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| May 26, 2011 | IL | HB 1490 | Regulates Full-Contact Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 8) |
| 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) |
| 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 5, 2010 | IL | SB 3695 | Streetgang-Related Crime Fund Changes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| May 5, 2010 | IL | HB 4927 | Video Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| April 21, 2010 | IL | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| April 21, 2010 | IL | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| March 25, 2010 | IL | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| March 18, 2010 | IL | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| May 30, 2009 | IL | SB 744 | New Casino Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 28) |
| May 20, 2009 | IL | HB 255 | Video Gambling in Various Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 12) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | IL | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17) |
| May 27, 2008 | IL | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| April 1, 2008 | IL | SB 1997 | Interscholastic Event Image Release | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 5) |
| Oct. 3, 2007 | IL | SB 1463 | Silent Reflection and Student Prayer | Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 9) |
| Sept. 18, 2007 | IL | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| May 9, 2007 | IL | SB 1007 | Large Capacity Firearm Magazine Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 26) |
| March 29, 2007 | IL | SB 500 | Smoke Free Illinois Act | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| Feb. 23, 2007 | IL | SB 4 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/31 | HB 1785 | Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| 5/31 | HB 1785 | Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| 5/30 | HB 2462 | Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| 5/17 | SB 7 | Establishes Gambling Industry Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| 5/10 | HB 40 | Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22) |
| 5/05 | SB 1761 | Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 0) |
| 5/04 | SB 31 | Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21) |
| 4/27 | SB 1657 | Requires State-Level License to Sell Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 21) |
| 5/19 | HB 3655 | Establishes Regulations for Fantasy Sports Contests | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| 4/05 | SB 2465 | Prohibits Certain Lawsuits against Inmates | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| 5/29 | HB 217 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19) |
| 5/21 | HB 352 | Authorizes Bobcat Hunting | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 5/22 | SJRCA 75 | Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 3/20 | AM 121 | Nomination of Salvador A. Godinez to be Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (37 - 18) |
| 11/05 | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| 7/09 | HB 183 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Firearms | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 17) |
| 5/23 | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20) |
| 5/22 | HB 2675 | Expands Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| 5/01 | SB 1739 | Expands State Casino Development | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20) |
| 5/01 | SB 1639 | Requires Reimbursement for the Sale of Unhealthy Pets | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 4/24 | SB 923 | Authorizes the Use of Traffic Cameras on School Buses | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 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 | SB 1849 | Expands Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 26) |
| 5/24 | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13) |
| 5/31 | SB 744 | Authorizes Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| 5/26 | HB 1490 | Regulates Full-Contact Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 8) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 5/05 | SB 3695 | Streetgang-Related Crime Fund Changes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| 5/05 | HB 4927 | Video Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| 4/21 | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| 4/21 | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| 3/25 | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| 3/18 | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| 5/30 | SB 744 | New Casino Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 28) |
| 5/20 | HB 255 | Video Gambling in Various Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 12) |
| 8/19 | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17) |
| 5/27 | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 4/01 | SB 1997 | Interscholastic Event Image Release | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 5) |
| 10/03 | SB 1463 | Silent Reflection and Student Prayer | Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 9) |
| 9/18 | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 5/09 | SB 1007 | Large Capacity Firearm Magazine Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 26) |
| 3/29 | SB 500 | Smoke Free Illinois Act | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| 2/23 | SB 4 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 23) |