Current Office: Senator
First Elected: 11/06/2004
Next Election:
Party: Democratic

General

Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Kali; 2 Children: Che, Mizan
Birth date: 09/30/1964
Birthplace: Chicago
Home City: Chicago IL
Religion: United Church of Christ

Profession

Lawyer, Private Practice, 2003 Chief Internal Negotiator, City Colleges of Chicago President, Relationship Strategies International, Limited Liability Company

Education

JD, Chicago-Kent College of Law, 1993 BA, Political Science, DePaul University

Committees

Committee of the Whole
Consumer Protection
Criminal Law
Financial Institutions
Judiciary
Pensions and Investments
Redistricting
Subcommittee on Constitutional Review
Subcommittee on Enhancements and Redundancy
Subcommittee on Pension Reforms
Subcommittee on Redistricting I
Subcommittee on Special Issues (Criminal Law)
Telecommunications and Technology

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: Yea

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

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

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: 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: Yea

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

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

SB 2505 Amends Property Tax Code
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3539 Abolishing the Death Penalty
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 1716 Authorizing Civil Unions
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3658 Temporary Sales Tax Holiday
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3660 Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3658 Temporary Sales Tax Holiday
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3660 Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3658 Temporary Sales Tax Holiday
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 859 2010-2011 Budget
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 642 Public University Borrowing
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3695 Streetgang-Related Crime Fund Changes
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: -

SB 3267 Elder Financial Exploitation
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3695 Streetgang-Related Crime Fund Changes
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: -

HB 4927 Video Gaming Law Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 3267 Elder Financial Exploitation
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3695 Streetgang-Related Crime Fund Changes
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: -

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

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

SJR 121 Redistricting Process Modifications
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 2494 Funding for School Vouchers
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 3267 Elder Financial Exploitation
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

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

SB 315 Teacher Evaluation Amendments
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1188 Increasing Cemetery Regulations
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

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

SB 1216 2009-2010 Budget
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 1292 Issuing of Bonds for Revenue
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 415 Bond Approval
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 612 Raising the Cap on Charter Schools
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 1918 Low-Income Energy Assistance
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 174 Income Tax Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 744 New Casino Authorization
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 7 Campaign Contribution Limits
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 1381 Legalize Medical Marijuana
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 255 Video Gambling in Various Establishments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

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

SB 788 Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 5288 Expand Use of Red Light Cameras
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: -

SJRCA 70 Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

SB 2858 Public School Trans Fat Ban
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 2063 South Suburban Airport Authority
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

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

SB 1997 Interscholastic Event Image Release
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

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

HB 656 Transportation Act
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

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

HB 2035 Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 3866 2007-2008 Budget
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 556 Cigarette Tax Increase
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 1592 Electricity Relief and Regulation
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1798 Wrongful Death Damages
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 426 Earlier Presidential Primary Date
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 1007 Large Capacity Firearm Magazine Ban
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 1592 Electric Rates Freeze
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

S. Amdt. 3: Electric Rates Freeze
Stage: Amendment Vote
Vote: Nay

SB 1592 Electric Rates Freeze
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

S. Amdt. 3: Electric Rates Freeze
Stage: Amendment Vote
Vote: Nay

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

SB 1296 Damages in Civil Actions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

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

SB 9 Illinois Climate Change Act
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

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

SB 1520 2006-2007 Budget
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

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

SB 668 Funding for Schools, Universities, and Roads
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 3053 Bond Authorization
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 668 Funding for Schools, Universities, and Roads
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 3053 Bond Authorization
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 5284 Carbon Monoxide Detector Act
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 1991 Minority and Female Investors in Casinos
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

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