SB 3484 · IL HOUSE
VEH CD-PLATES-REGISTRATION
Motion: Third Reading
Photo: cdn.ilga.govIL · Officeholder
La Shawn Ford
DState Representative · District 8
On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: U.S. House · Illinois's 7th District
Biography
La Shawn Ford is the Democratic nominee for the open Illinois 7th District seat.[1][2][3] A former Chicago public school teacher and real estate entrepreneur, he has served in the Illinois House of Representatives for the West Side's 8th District since 2007 and was a candidate for Chicago mayor in 2019; he won the March 2026 Democratic primary in a crowded field with about 24% of the vote.[1][2][3][7]
According to his state legislative website, Ford is a lifelong Chicago resident who was raised by a single mother.[3] He received a bachelor's degree in education from Loyola University, Chicago.[2] He worked as a teacher in the Chicago public school system and founded a real estate business; his campaign website says he bought and sold his first building in college and started the business while still teaching.[2]
Ford was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives for the 8th District in 2007 and has been re-elected since; he is not seeking re-election to that seat in 2026.[2][3] He has chaired the Appropriations-Higher Education Committee in recent sessions.[2] His campaign website says he created and chaired the House Small Business Empowerment and Workforce Development Committee and sponsored the State Employment Application Act ("Ban the Box") and a law making Juneteenth a state holiday, and his state legislative website says he established the Council on Responsible Fatherhood.[2][3] He was a candidate in the February 2019 nonpartisan Chicago mayoral election.[2]
In November 2012 a federal grand jury indicted Ford on 17 counts of bank fraud and providing false information to a bank.[2][4] In August 2014 he pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor tax count in exchange for the 17 felony charges being dropped, and in November 2014 he was sentenced to six months' probation and 100 hours of community service.[2][5][6]
Ballotpedia lists Ford's board and organization memberships as including the Austin YMCA board, the Austin Chamber of Commerce board and Circle Family Care, and says he has one child; his campaign website lists service on the Boy Scouts Pathway to Adventure Council board.[2]
- 1.La Shawn Ford candidate profile · Ballotpedia (compiled from La Shawn Ford 2026 campaign website) · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
- 2.La Shawn Ford · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 3.Home - Rep. La Shawn K. Ford · Office of State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford · 2026-10-21 Official record
- 4.State Rep. La Shawn Ford Indicted For Bank Fraud · CBS Chicago · 2012-11-29 News report
- 5.LaShawn Ford pleads guilty to misdemeanor · ABC7 Chicago · 2014-08-04 News report
- 6.LaShawn Ford sentenced to probation · ABC7 Chicago · 2014-11-07 News report
- 7.La Shawn Ford Declares Victory in Race to Replace Danny Davis in Illinois' 7th District Primary · WTTW News · 2026-03-17 News report
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
On the ballot
Votes by issue
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
Climate & energy3 with · 0 against3 votes
Most contested
- Yes
As introduced, creates a PFAS Wastewater Citizen Protection Committee to deliver a PFAS Action Plan within a year, update it annually and report, with technical help from the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. The Act is repealed December 31, 2044.
Apr 9, 2025 · Passed 75–40 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
- Yes
Jobs & cost of living3 with · 0 against3 votes
Most contested
- Yes
Allows townships to use public aid funds to run food banks, food pantries and in-kind aid programs for people who are poor, homeless or in immediate need, regardless of General Assistance eligibility.
May 29, 2026 · Passed 73–35 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
- Yes
Allows the State Treasurer to invest State money in pooled investment trusts registered as open-end investment companies whose voting trustees are officers or employees of a national labor federation.
May 22, 2026 · Passed 73–26 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
- Yes
May 28, 2026 · Passed 89–20 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
- Yes
Health & care2 with · 0 against2 votes
Most contested
- Yes
Requires health professionals and institutions to report specified sexual and violent misconduct to the state professional regulation department, requires law enforcement to report investigations, arrests and charges and prosecutors convictions of licensees, and creates a Sexual Assault Survivors Fund.
Apr 10, 2025 · Passed 87–26 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
- Yes
SUICIDE PREVENTION INFORMATION
May 27, 2026 · Passed 106–5 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
- Yes
Rights & public safety1 with · 0 against1 vote
Most contested
- Yes
Requires health professionals and institutions to report specified sexual and violent misconduct to the state professional regulation department, requires law enforcement to report investigations, arrests and charges and prosecutors convictions of licensees, and creates a Sexual Assault Survivors Fund.
Apr 10, 2025 · Passed 87–26 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
- Yes
Transportation0 with · 1 against1 vote
Most contested
- No
May 31, 2026 · Passed 84–16 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
- No
Where they stood out
Voted against most of their party on 0 of 8 party-divided votes on file.
Their votes on the most contested roll calls
The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank
- Yes
With most of their party · Passed 75–40 · Yes 74–No 39 · Democrats 74–0, Republicans 0–39
Apr 9, 2025Official record ↗
- Yes
With most of their party · Passed 73–35 · Yes 71–No 34 · Democrats 71–0, Republicans 0–34
May 29, 2026Official record ↗
- Yes
With most of their party · Passed 77–30 · Yes 75–No 29 · Democrats 69–1, Republicans 6–28
May 29, 2026Official record ↗
- Yes
With most of their party · Passed 73–26 · Yes 71–No 25 · Democrats 63–0, Republicans 8–25
May 22, 2026Official record ↗
- Yes
With most of their party · Passed 87–26 · Yes 85–No 26 · Democrats 74–0, Republicans 11–26
Apr 10, 2025Official record ↗
- Yes
With most of their party · Passed 89–20 · Yes 87–No 19 · Democrats 72–0, Republicans 15–19
May 28, 2026Official record ↗
- No
Against most of their party · Passed 84–16 · Yes 82–No 15 · Democrats 56–7, Republicans 26–8
May 31, 2026Official record ↗
- Yes
SUICIDE PREVENTION INFORMATION
With most of their party · Passed 106–5 · Yes 103–No 5 · Democrats 73–0, Republicans 30–5
May 27, 2026Official record ↗
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
NoVOTED
HB 2955 · IL HOUSE
EPA-PFAS WASTEWATER
Motion: Concurrence
As introduced, creates a PFAS Wastewater Citizen Protection Committee to deliver a PFAS Action Plan within a year, update it annually and report, with technical help from the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. The Act is repealed December 31, 2044.
AI summary — read the bill text ↗
HB 2955 · IL HOUSE
EPA-PFAS WASTEWATER
Motion: Concurrence, Amendment 4
As introduced, creates a PFAS Wastewater Citizen Protection Committee to deliver a PFAS Action Plan within a year, update it annually and report, with technical help from the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. The Act is repealed December 31, 2044.
AI summary — read the bill text ↗
SB 2696 · IL HOUSE
QUICK-TAKE-HOFFMAN ESTATES
Motion: Third Reading
SB 3565 · IL HOUSE
PUB AID-TOWNSHIPS
Motion: Third Reading
Allows townships to use public aid funds to run food banks, food pantries and in-kind aid programs for people who are poor, homeless or in immediate need, regardless of General Assistance eligibility.
AI summary — read the bill text ↗
SB 3403 · IL HOUSE
PEN CD-BD OF INVESTMENT AUDIT
Motion: Third Reading
SB 3510 · IL HOUSE
CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN
Motion: Third Reading
HB 4909 · IL HOUSE
PEN CD-IMRF-EMPLOYEE
Motion: Concurrence, Amendment 2
SB 3107 · IL HOUSE
QUICK-TAKE OAK PARK
Motion: Third Reading
As introduced, allows the Village of Oak Park to use quick-take eminent domain for two years to acquire specified properties on Madison Street and Humphrey Avenue in Cook County for a public building and facility.
AI summary — read the bill text ↗
SB 2771 · IL HOUSE
SUICIDE PREVENTION INFORMATION
Motion: Third Reading
Showing 10 of 16 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.