Current Office: Senator
First Elected: 03/14/2011
Next Election: 2012
Party: Democratic

General

Gender: Female
Family: Husband: Keith; 2 Children: Angelique, Taylor
Birth date: 04/28/1962
Birthplace: Chicago, IL
Home City: Chicago IL
Religion: Baptist

Profession

Coordinator, Chicago Board of Education, 1999-present Administrator, Department of Children and Family Services, 1990-1999 Social Worker, Cook County Social Services, 1987-1990 Corrections Officer Probation Officer School Board Administrator Social Worker

Education

MS, Chicago State University, 1985 BA, Northern Illinois University, 1983

Committees

Committee of the Whole
Education
Environment
Human Services
Licensed Activities
State Government and Veterans Affairs

SB 400 Amends State Income Tax
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 397 Tax Code Amendments
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 2147 Paying Regional Superintendents
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

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SB 400 Amends State Income Tax
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 397 Tax Code Amendments
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 2147 Paying Regional Superintendents
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

SB 965 Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

SB 965 Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 744 Gambling and Gaming Bill
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 1178 Congressional Redistricting
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 744 Gambling and Gaming Bill
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 145 Nursing Home Infection Control
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 1177 General Assembly Redistricting
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1490 Regulating Full-Contact Martial Arts Events
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1600 Artificial Trans Fat Restriction Act
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

HB 1490 Regulating Full-Contact Martial Arts Events
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1600 Artificial Trans Fat Restriction Act
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

HB 1091 Public-Private Transportation Partnership
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 2185 Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 2505 Amends Property Tax Code
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3644 Labor Law Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3539 Abolishing the Death Penalty
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 1381 Legalize Medical Marijuana
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3976 Rules to Govern the Redistricting Process
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 1716 Authorizing Civil Unions
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 4927 Video Gaming Law Amendments
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 859 2010-2011 Budget
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3660 Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3514 Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3660 Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3514 Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3739 Establishing a Foreclosure Prevention Program
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 1118 Business Loan Interest Rates
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 3739 Establishing a Foreclosure Prevention Program
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3658 Temporary Sales Tax Holiday
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 642 Public University Borrowing
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3658 Temporary Sales Tax Holiday
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 642 Public University Borrowing
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3658 Temporary Sales Tax Holiday
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SJR 121 Redistricting Process Modifications
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 615 Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 5109 Prohibiting Public Funding of Portraits of Governors Removed From Office
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 4886 Authorizing 4-Day School Week
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 5428 Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 4685 Eliminating General Assembly Scholarship Program
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 2360 Homeowner's Emergency Assistance Plan
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 4685 Eliminating General Assembly Scholarship Program
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 2360 Homeowner's Emergency Assistance Plan
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 4654 Limiting Free Mass Transit for Seniors
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1188 Increasing Cemetery Regulations
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 315 Teacher Evaluation Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 1216 2009-2010 Budget
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 1292 Issuing of Bonds for Revenue
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 2252 Temporary Income Tax Increase and Tax Credit for Green Businesses
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 7 Campaign Contribution Limits
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HJRCA 31 Authorizing Governor Recall Elections
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 1682 Pre-need Funeral Funds Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: -

HB 255 Video Gambling in Various Establishments
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 71 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 72 Cell Phone Ban in School Speed Zones and Construction Zones
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 71 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 72 Cell Phone Ban in School Speed Zones and Construction Zones
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 442 Expanding Red-Light Traffic Camera Enforcement
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HR 5 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HR 1671 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: -

HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: -

HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: -

HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: -

HB 2310 Truancy, Information Sharing, and Fines
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 2052 Taxes for Levee Repair
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 4758 Fairgrounds Racetrack Authority
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 2052 Taxes for Levee Repair
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 4758 Fairgrounds Racetrack Authority
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HJR 132 Legislative Salaries
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 4139 Peace Officer Firearms
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 5278 Limiting County Clerk and Election Board Members' Endorsements
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 5191 Parental Responsibility for Gun Accessibility
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HJRCA 28 Recall Elections
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 4232 State Board of Education Selection Process
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 4180 Allowing Teachers to Conduct a Silent Reflection
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 656 Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 656 Transportation Act
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1685 National Popular Vote Act
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 307 Regional Transportation Authority Funding
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 1463 Silent Reflection and Student Prayer
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

SB 540 Truck Speed Limit Increase
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Nay

HB 664 Homeowner Tax Exemption
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

HB 3866 2007-2008 Budget
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: -

SB 1592 Electricity Relief and Regulation
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 2055 State Lottery Privatization
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: -

HR 25 State Constitutional Convention Awareness
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

SB 4 Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 858 Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1727 Internet Screening in Public Libraries
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 500 Smoke Free Illinois Act
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1798 Wrongful Death Damages
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 317 Abortion Notification Bill
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 414 Community College Student Housing
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1769 Smoking Ban in Vehicles
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 414 Community College Student Housing
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1769 Smoking Ban in Vehicles
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1100 Driver's Certificates for Non-Citizens
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 138 Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 408 Mandating New Driver Signs For Minors
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

SB 1714 Competitive Electric Utilities
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 1520 2006-2007 Budget
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 2872 Local Government Facility Lease Act
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 1445 Election Code Revisions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1918 Support Horseracing Through Riverboat Casinos in Chicago
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 3086 Eminent Domain – Blight
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1917 Support Horseracing Through Riverboat Gambling
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

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