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 29, 2019 | IL | HB 2078 | Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 13) |
| May 22, 2019 | IL | HB 834 | Requires Equal Pay | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14) |
| May 21, 2019 | IL | HB 253 | Classifies University Graduate and Research Assistants as "Employees" | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19) |
| May 21, 2019 | IL | HB 2670 | Expands Definition of "Mitigating Factors" | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18) |
| April 11, 2019 | IL | SB 10 | Increases Teacher Salaries to $40,000 | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 11) |
| March 14, 2019 | IL | HB 345 | Prohibits Smoking Under the Age of 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| March 7, 2019 | IL | SB 1474 | Prohibits Local Right to Work Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 12) |
| March 6, 2019 | IL | SB 1596 | Authorizes Exceptions for Limits on Workers' Compensation Claims | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 16) |
| Feb. 7, 2019 | IL | SB 1 | Increases Minimum Wage to $15 | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 18) |
| May 17, 2018 | IL | SB 2892 | Requires Increase in Teacher Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 16) |
| 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) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | IL | SB 11 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | IL | SB 11 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| May 23, 2014 | IL | HB 5701 | Prohibits Requiring Disclosure of Criminal Record Prior to Job Interview | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 12) |
| May 15, 2014 | IL | HB 4075 | Establishes Standards for Ridesharing Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 8) |
| May 17, 2013 | IL | HB 1 | Authorizes the Use of Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 21) |
| May 1, 2013 | IL | SB 1639 | Requires Reimbursement for the Sale of Unhealthy Pets | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | IL | SB 26 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | IL | SB 622 | Increases Physician License Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 5440 | Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| May 29, 2012 | IL | SB 2194 | Increases Cigarette Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
| Nov. 29, 2011 | IL | HB 1883 | Property Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18) |
| May 27, 2010 | IL | SB 3658 | Temporary Sales Tax Holiday | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 8) |
| May 5, 2010 | IL | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 9) |
| 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. 12, 2010 | IL | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| May 30, 2009 | IL | HB 174 | Income Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | IL | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17) |
| April 1, 2008 | IL | SB 1997 | Interscholastic Event Image Release | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 5) |
| Sept. 18, 2007 | IL | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Aug. 9, 2007 | IL | HB 556 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24) |
| July 26, 2007 | IL | SB 1592 | Electricity Relief and Regulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| April 20, 2007 | IL | S. Amdt. 3: Electric Rates Freeze | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 24) | |
| April 20, 2007 | IL | SB 1592 | Electric Rates Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| March 29, 2007 | IL | SB 500 | Smoke Free Illinois Act | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| Nov. 15, 2006 | IL | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| Nov. 15, 2006 | IL | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| May 4, 2006 | IL | HB 1918 | Support Horseracing Through Riverboat Casinos in Chicago | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 16) |
| March 1, 2006 | IL | SB 1991 | Minority and Female Investors in Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 23) |
| March 1, 2006 | IL | SB 1991 | Minority and Female Investors in Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/29 | HB 2078 | Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 13) |
| 5/22 | HB 834 | Requires Equal Pay | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14) |
| 5/21 | HB 253 | Classifies University Graduate and Research Assistants as "Employees" | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19) |
| 5/21 | HB 2670 | Expands Definition of "Mitigating Factors" | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18) |
| 4/11 | SB 10 | Increases Teacher Salaries to $40,000 | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 11) |
| 3/14 | HB 345 | Prohibits Smoking Under the Age of 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| 3/07 | SB 1474 | Prohibits Local Right to Work Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 12) |
| 3/06 | SB 1596 | Authorizes Exceptions for Limits on Workers' Compensation Claims | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 16) |
| 2/07 | SB 1 | Increases Minimum Wage to $15 | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 18) |
| 5/17 | SB 2892 | Requires Increase in Teacher Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 16) |
| 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) |
| 2/05 | SB 11 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| 2/05 | SB 11 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| 5/23 | HB 5701 | Prohibits Requiring Disclosure of Criminal Record Prior to Job Interview | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 12) |
| 5/15 | HB 4075 | Establishes Standards for Ridesharing Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 8) |
| 5/17 | HB 1 | Authorizes the Use of Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 21) |
| 5/01 | SB 1639 | Requires Reimbursement for the Sale of Unhealthy Pets | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 2/28 | SB 26 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| 2/14 | SB 622 | Increases Physician License Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19) |
| 5/31 | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
| 5/31 | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 5/31 | HB 5440 | Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| 5/29 | SB 2194 | Increases Cigarette Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
| 11/29 | HB 1883 | Property Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18) |
| 5/27 | SB 3658 | Temporary Sales Tax Holiday | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 8) |
| 5/05 | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 9) |
| 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) |
| 1/12 | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 5/30 | HB 174 | Income Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
| 8/19 | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17) |
| 4/01 | SB 1997 | Interscholastic Event Image Release | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 5) |
| 9/18 | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 8/09 | HB 556 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24) |
| 7/26 | SB 1592 | Electricity Relief and Regulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| 4/20 | S. Amdt. 3: Electric Rates Freeze | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 24) | |
| 4/20 | SB 1592 | Electric Rates Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| 3/29 | SB 500 | Smoke Free Illinois Act | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| 11/15 | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 11/15 | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 5/04 | HB 1918 | Support Horseracing Through Riverboat Casinos in Chicago | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 16) |
| 3/01 | SB 1991 | Minority and Female Investors in Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 23) |
| 3/01 | SB 1991 | Minority and Female Investors in Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 23) |