Committee Vote Transparency

Maryland state lawmakers considering posting committee votes online. Illinois should do the same.

by Kate Piercy

State lawmakers in Maryland are leaning towards posting committee votes online. This is good policy, and Illinois should do the same.

Illinois needs more transparency in the committee voting process, which would help foster more accountability for committee members (they currently have little). Committees have an incredibly powerful role in the legislative process in Illinois, and all states, which Del. Heather Mizeur, a Montgomery
County Democrat, explains in the The Baltimore Sun, "The most important votes we take are the ones at committee."

She continued, "it is
"rare" to have an extended debate on the House floor — where delegates
are most closely watched — and that there are "egregious" examples of
legislators voting to kill a popular bill in committee on behalf of a
special interest and then switching their position and proclaiming
support for the legislation when it comes to the full chamber."

Publicizing the committee votes, she said, "is just holding everyone more accountable to the decisions they are making."

Exactly, and Illinois needs more transparency in the committee voting process as well. There is no excuse for failing to post individual committee member votes online.

Currently the public and legislators have little to no idea what happens to bills once they go into committee, and posting individual committee member votes online will instill more accountability and public awareness into the process.