Modeled after our longtime federal Humane Scorecard, the Humane Society Legislative Fund’s state scorecards hold state legislators accountable to a range of humane interests—and have become increasingly influential with those who value the well-being of animals. As we work together to advance the animal protection agenda in your state, we need to first know where your lawmakers stand on the issues.
HSLF invites you to check out the 2023 Illinois Humane Scorecard, now available online. Here you can review what actions your lawmakers chose to take, and what issues they failed to support, in our fight to protect animals in Illinois. Please share this scorecard with family, friends, and fellow advocates to help spread the word!
Illinois has once again set a high standard on animal protection measures. SB 1882, signed into law this June, banned the barbaric practice of toxicity testing on dogs and cats—and was the first of its kind to not include an exemption for pharmaceutical companies. This spring, three more bills were passed addressing public contact with wild animals; breed-specific bans in insurance policies; and predatory lending practices in pet sales. We applaud the leaders who fought for these triumphs, making 2023 an exceptional year for Illinois’ wildlife, companion animals, and all who care about them.
The following bills scored on the 2023 Illinois Humane Scorecard are set to become law:
- Toxicity Testing Ban (SB 1882): A ✓ indicates a vote in favor of SB 1882, which prohibits the barbaric and unnecessary practice of toxicity testing on dogs and cats, when not required by law. Sen. Linda Holmes (D) and Rep. Anna Moeller (D) sponsored the legislation.
- Public Contact with Bears and Primates (SB 1883): A ✓ indicates a vote in favor of SB 1883, which prohibits members of the public from coming into direct contact with bears or primates. It is not only cruel to subject these animals to public handling or contact—it is also highly dangerous, as these animals are unpredictable, and carry the risk of zoonautic disease. Sen. Linda Holmes (D) and Rep. Joyce Mason (D) sponsored the legislation.
- Dog Breed Insurance Protection (HB 1049): A ✓ indicates a vote in favor of HB 1049, which provides that no insurance agency shall refuse to issue, or shall impose increased premiums or rates on, a policy or contract, based solely on the insured party’s ownership of a specific dog breed. Breed-based policies are based largely on misinformation, and often tear families and their pets apart. Rep. Rita Mayfield (D) and Sen. Linda Holmes (D) sponsored the legislation.
- Pet Store Financing (HB 3236): A ✓ indicates a vote in favor of HB 3236, which clarifies that the purchase of a dog or cat cannot be financed by a third party lender. This measure effectively ends the practice of predatory, exploitative lending and interest-rate-gauging in companion animal sales. Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D) and Sen. Linda Holmes (D) sponsored the legislation.
Two additional bills included on the scorecard passed only one chamber, and did not become law, but HSLF will continue to advocate for these key measures. One was SB 1230, which strengthens the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s ability to revoke or suspend a puppy mill operator’s license when falsely operating as a “dog dealer.” The bill was sponsored by Sen. Linda Holmes (D) and Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D), and passed the Illinois Senate. The other was HB 1533, which bans the barbaric, non-therapeutic declawing of cats. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D) and Sen. Sara Feigenholtz (D), and passed the Illinois House.
HSLF acknowledges the limitations of judging legislators based on a few votes and co-sponsorships on animal issues, however important those issues may be. In some cases, legislators must miss votes for unavoidable reasons, such as a death in the family, serious illness, birth of a child or emergency in their district. In assessing the record of your state-level representatives, and your strategy for engaging them in the future, do consider unrecorded matters such as committee participation and performance, House or Senate leadership posts, constituent service and responsiveness, and other animal protection bills not included in this scorecard.
As with all the work we do, our humane scorecards are made possible only by the continued advocacy and support of members like you. By holding our lawmakers accountable, at the ballot box and year-round, we can build on our victories—and make even greater progress in 2024 for the animals.
The full 2023 Illinois Humane Scorecard can be found online at hslf.org/state-scorecards.