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 1, 2022 | IL | HB 5107 | Establishes Collective Bargaining Rights for Chicago School Principals but Prohibits Strikes | Bill Passed - House (63 - 35) |
| Feb. 23, 2022 | IL | SB 3023 | Establishes Protection for Survivors of Sexual Assault | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 0) |
| Feb. 23, 2022 | IL | SB 3490 | Expands Protections for LGBTQ Seniors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| Sept. 13, 2021 | IL | SB 2408 | Increases the Growth of Wind, Solar and Other Forms of Renewable Energy | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17) |
| Sept. 9, 2021 | IL | SB 2408 | Increases the Growth of Wind, Solar and Other Forms of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - House (83 - 33) |
| Aug. 31, 2021 | IL | SB 18 | Requires All Energy Production to be from Renewable Energy Sources by 2050 | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| May 6, 2021 | IL | SB 1747 | Establishes Tax Advantaged Zones for Green Energy Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 11) |
| April 22, 2021 | IL | HB 2789 | Requires Public and Private Schools to Comply with Health Regulations Established by the Illinois Department of Public Health | Bill Passed - House (70 - 42) |
| April 22, 2021 | IL | HB 2789 | Requires Public and Private Schools to Comply with Health Regulations Established by the Illinois Department of Public Health | Bill Passed - House (70 - 42) |
| April 20, 2021 | IL | HB 3496 | Authorizes Chicago Principals to Unionize | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
| March 25, 2021 | IL | HB 158 | Reduces Racial Disparities in Medical Care | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 16) |
| March 18, 2021 | IL | HB 158 | Reduces Racial Disparities in Medical Care | Bill Passed - House (72 - 41) |
| Jan. 12, 2021 | IL | HB 3360 | Authorizes Prejudgment Interest to be Charged in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Lawsuits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 42) |
| Jan. 11, 2021 | IL | HB 2170 | Amends Public School Curriculum to Emphasize Black and Minority Group Contributions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 41) |
| Jan. 11, 2021 | IL | HB 2170 | Amends Public School Curriculum to Emphasize Black and Minority Group Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 18) |
| Jan. 11, 2021 | IL | HB 3360 | Authorizes Prejudgment Interest to be Charged in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 17) |
| Jan. 11, 2021 | IL | HB 2275 | Repeals Section 4.5 of Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| May 23, 2020 | IL | SB 516 | Amends Tax Structure for Chicago Casino | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 14) |
| May 23, 2020 | IL | SB 2135 | Establishes the "Government Emergency Administration Act" | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 19) |
| May 23, 2020 | IL | SB 2135 | Establishes the "Government Emergency Administration Act" | Bill Passed - House (66 - 44) |
| May 23, 2020 | IL | SB 516 | Amends Tax Structure for Chicago Casino | Bill Passed - House (77 - 32) |
| May 22, 2020 | IL | SB 471 | Establishes Worker Protections During Public Health Emergency | Bill Passed - House (95 - 10) |
| May 21, 2020 | IL | HB 2455 | Authorizes Worker Compensation for Essential and Frontline Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 4) |
| Oct. 30, 2019 | IL | HB 3904 | Authorizes Student Athletes to Receive Compensation for Use of Their Name, Image, or Likeness | Bill Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| Oct. 29, 2019 | IL | SB 1786 | Prohibits License Suspension for Unpaid Parking Tickets | Bill Passed - House (88 - 27) |
| Oct. 29, 2019 | IL | SB 1864 | Prohibits Use of Vaping Devices in Public Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 11) |
| June 1, 2019 | IL | SB 690 | Expands the Number of Casinos Permitted in Illinois | Bill Passed - House (87 - 27) |
| May 29, 2019 | IL | HB 2078 | Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 13) |
| May 29, 2019 | IL | HB 2276 | Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 10) |
| May 29, 2019 | IL | HB 2276 | Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 10) |
| May 1, 2019 | IL | SB 690 | Expands the Number of Casinos Permitted in Illinois | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18) |
| April 11, 2019 | IL | SB 10 | Increases Teacher Salaries to $40,000 | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 11) |
| April 11, 2019 | IL | HB 2 | Establishes Rights for Women in Pregnancy and Childbirth | Bill Passed - House (67 - 35) |
| April 11, 2019 | IL | HB 1690 | Amends Criminal Record Expungement Law | Bill Passed - House (69 - 36) |
| April 11, 2019 | IL | HB 840 | Requires Biannual Reports from Nuclear Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (73 - 40) |
| April 9, 2019 | IL | HB 2078 | Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 | Bill Passed - House (79 - 31) |
| April 3, 2019 | IL | HB 2988 | Prohibits Townships from Regulating Wind Farms Outside of City Zoning Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| March 28, 2019 | IL | SB 1786 | Prohibits License Suspension for Unpaid Parking Tickets | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| March 28, 2019 | IL | HB 2276 | Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present | Bill Passed - House (78 - 20) |
| March 28, 2019 | IL | HB 2276 | Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present | Bill Passed - House (78 - 20) |
| March 28, 2019 | IL | HB 2275 | Repeals Section 4.5 of Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act | Bill Passed - House (73 - 35) |
| March 27, 2019 | IL | HB 2988 | Prohibits Townships from Regulating Wind Farms Outside of City Zoning Areas | Bill Passed - House (95 - 12) |
| March 14, 2019 | IL | SB 1596 | Authorizes Exceptions for Limits on Workers' Compensation Claims | Bill Passed - House (70 - 40) |
| March 6, 2019 | IL | SB 1596 | Authorizes Exceptions for Limits on Workers' Compensation Claims | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 16) |
| May 31, 2018 | IL | HB 2617 | Requires Coverage of Egg or Sperm Preservation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (76 - 30) |
| May 31, 2018 | IL | SB 336 | Establishes the Alternatives to Opioids Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (72 - 38) |
| May 30, 2018 | IL | SB 2332 | Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - House (61 - 49) |
| May 2, 2018 | IL | SB 3249 | Requires LGBT History in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| April 27, 2018 | IL | HB 5245 | Requires Nurses to Complete Sexual Assault Response Training | Bill Passed - House (101 - 0) |
| April 25, 2018 | IL | SB 2332 | Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| Aug. 28, 2017 | IL | SB 1947 | Establishes School Funding Plan | Bill Passed - House (73 - 34) |
| Aug. 13, 2017 | IL | SB 1 | Specifies School Funding Reallocation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (38 - 19) |
| May 31, 2017 | IL | SB 1 | Specifies School Funding Reallocation | Bill Passed - House (60 - 52) |
| May 31, 2017 | IL | SB 1351 | Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers | Bill Passed - House (63 - 48) |
| May 17, 2017 | IL | SB 7 | Establishes Gambling Industry Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| May 17, 2017 | IL | SB 1 | Specifies School Funding Reallocation | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| May 10, 2017 | IL | HB 40 | Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22) |
| May 10, 2017 | IL | SB 1351 | Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| April 26, 2017 | IL | HB 2977 | Requires Public Schools to Provide Cursive Writing Courses | Bill Passed - House (67 - 48) |
| April 25, 2017 | IL | HB 40 | Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - House (62 - 55) |
| May 19, 2016 | IL | HB 3655 | Establishes Regulations for Fantasy Sports Contests | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| April 21, 2016 | IL | HB 696 | Repeals Property Tax in Non-Home Rule Communities | Bill Passed - House (71 - 31) |
| Nov. 10, 2015 | IL | HB 2482 | Specifies Determination of Need Score to Qualify for Assistance | Veto Override Failed - House (70 - 38) |
| May 29, 2015 | IL | HB 217 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19) |
| May 19, 2015 | IL | HB 217 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - House (68 - 43) |
| April 23, 2015 | IL | HB 373 | Authorizes Construction of Presidential Libraries and Museums on Park Land | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13) |
| May 29, 2014 | IL | SB 741 | Expands Medicaid Services | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (46 - 10) |
| May 28, 2014 | IL | SB 741 | Expands Medicaid Services | Bill Passed - House (75 - 37) |
| May 27, 2014 | IL | HB 3836 | Amends Lincoln Presidential Library Operations | Bill Passed - House (84 - 29) |
| May 15, 2014 | IL | HB 4075 | Establishes Standards for Ridesharing Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 8) |
| April 10, 2014 | IL | HB 4075 | Establishes Standards for Ridesharing Companies | Bill Passed - House (80 - 26) |
| April 8, 2014 | IL | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| April 8, 2014 | IL | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - House (73 - 41) |
| March 27, 2014 | IL | HB 4442 | Requires Law Enforcement Officers to Record Ethnicity During Traffic Stops | Bill Passed - House (63 - 46) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |