SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) released its annual Legislative Environmental Scorecard this week, scoring Illinois state legislators based on their voting record on legislation affecting the environment during 2026 legislative business. State Representative Margaret Croke (12th District) has been honored with a perfect voting record on the environment.
“I vote my environmental values on every single bill, which is why I am proud of my 100% score on the Illinois Environmental Council’s Legislative Environmental Scorecard,” said Representative Croke. “Protecting our community from environmental harms is a serious responsibility in my role and it’s why I was honored to support legislation that protects my constituents from toxic ‘forever chemicals’, prepares our state for the effects of climate change, and many other environmental priorities.”
“I am proud of my 100% score on the Illinois Environmental Council’s Legislative Environmental Scorecard because it shows that our environment is top of mind every time I cast my vote in the General Assembly,” said Representative Croke. “Protecting our health and the well-being of the place we call home is a responsibility I take seriously and it’s why I made a point to support legislation that supports Illinois’ climate goals, invests in public transportation, and cuts down on toxic pollutants in our neighborhoods.”
The 2026 Legislative Environmental Scorecard includes 13 legislative measures. Specific priorities from this year’s Scorecard include:
- Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act – SB25 (Stadelman/Hoffman)
Rising energy costs and price volatility have hit Illinois ratepayers hard. This legislation strengthens grid reliability and affordability by adding 3 GW of battery storage to our energy system, creating a virtual power plant (VPP) program, expanding energy efficiency programs, and giving consumers more tools to save money on their energy bills. Residential energy costs are expected to be reduced by an estimated $13.4 billion over the next 20 years under CRGA.
SB25 passed the House by a vote of 70-37-0 and the Senate by 37-22-0 in October of 2025, after the release of our 2025 scorecard.
- Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act – SB2111 (Villivalam/Delgado)
This bill established the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) to replace the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and oversee CTA, Metra, and Pace—unifying Illinois’ transit system to deliver more seamless, reliable, and accessible transit service. The bill also delivers $1.5 billion in annual funding to stabilize transit operations statewide while strengthening governance and accountability through independent performance audits, a chief internal auditor, and a unified fare system by 2030.
SB2111 passed the House by a vote of 72-32-0 and the Senate by a vote of 36-21-0 in October of 2025, after the release of our 2025 scorecard.
- Environmental Justice Air Permitting – SB3772 (Villanueva/Jiménez)
Environmental justice (EJ) areas experience the cumulative impact of many types of pollutants. This legislation codifies, for the first time in Illinois law, a legal framework to address the cumulative impact of industrial air pollution in Illinois’ EJ communities and reforms permitting to ensure the IEPA accurately defines EJ communities and accounts for cumulative impacts, especially amid federal rollbacks.
SB3772 passed the Senate by a vote of 43-11-0 and the House by 73-39-0.
- Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act – HB4418 (Mason/Morrison)
This bill classifies pre-production plastic pellets as pollutants and directs the IEPA to develop and implement stormwater pollution controls, ensuring that industrial producers are held accountable for preventing pellet spills into our waterways.
HB4418 passed the House by a vote of 69-33-0 and the Senate by 44-13-0.
“I am especially grateful for Representative Croke and their perfect environmental voting record this year because they stood up for their constituents and our environment when it mattered most,” said IEC Executive Director Jen Walling. “Illinois will be a cleaner, safer place to call home because of the leadership Representative Croke demonstrated this session, and we look forward to building on that legacy together in the future.”
Fifty-eight percent of sitting State House Representatives and 46 percent of sitting State Senators earned a perfect 100 percent voting record — both up about 3 points from the previous Scorecard. For the second year in a row, more than half of the Illinois legislature voted with the environment 100 percent of the time. IEC releases its scorecard annually.
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Since 1975, the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) has worked to safeguard Illinois—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends by building power for people and the environment. www.ilenviro.org