What Does the Illinois General Assembly Do?

The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature, consisting of two chambers:

• Illinois Senate – 59 members
• Illinois House of Representatives – 118 members

It convenes in the capital, Springfield. Its powers include:

• Enacting, amending, and repealing state laws
• Proposing constitutional amendments
• Impeaching state officials
• Overriding gubernatorial vetoes
• Approving the state budget

The regular session runs from the second Wednesday in January to the first Friday in May; special sessions may be called. The Assembly is formally nonpartisan, though most members align with a party (currently Democrats hold majorities in both chambers). Key policy areas: education, healthcare, transportation, criminal justice, environment, and economic development.