Evanston, IL — State Senator Laura Fine (D–Glenview), candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 9th District, has been recognized as one of the most effective lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly, according to a new report by the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL), as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times and NPR this week.
CEL evaluated all 199 Illinois legislators based on the number of bills introduced during the 2023–2024 session, how far those bills advanced, and how many became law. Senator Fine ranked second among Senate Democrats, behind only Senate President Don Harmon, reflecting more than a decade of detailed, collaborative lawmaking on issues core to IL-9.

“I’m proud of this recognition because it reflects years of fighting for IL-9 families navigating mental health care, insurance denials, and barriers to safety and affordability,” Fine said. “Our district deserves serious, compassionate leaders who understand the law and know how to make it work for people. That’s the standard I’m taking to Congress.”

Senator Fine’s legislative record includes major reforms in: mental health parity, access to care, consumer protections, insurance affordability, reproductive and LGBTQ+ health access, expanding critical care for vulnerable communities, environmental protection, and support for safety-net providers.
CEL is a nonpartisan research organization affiliated with Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia. CEL’s analysis emphasizes the traits that make a lawmaker effective: the ability to build coalitions, negotiate complex policy, and steward legislation from idea to passage.