Chicago Politics

Where legislation goes to die: stuck in committee for over a year

466 items introduced this term have waited in a Chicago City Council committee for more than a year without a vote. A committee's chair decides what goes on its agenda, so an item can sit for years without a hearing. The counts below come from each committee's own record; follow a count to the committee's page, and an item to its record.

Legislation stuck in committee for over a year
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By committee and chair

CommitteeChairOver a yearWaitingMedian days waiting
Committees and RulesMichelle A. Harris83134518
Zoning, Landmarks and Building StandardsGilbert Villegas4881518
Transportation and Public WayGregory I. Mitchell3963553
FinancePat Dowell3678341
License and Consumer ProtectionDebra L. Silverstein3561391
Pedestrian and Traffic SafetyDaniel La Spata34381001
Public SafetyBrian Hopkins2744490
Budget and Government OperationsJason C. Ervin2650490
Contracting Oversight and EquityEmma Mitts2427609
Economic, Capital and Technology DevelopmentDerrick G. Curtis20737
Health and Human RelationsRossana Rodríguez Sánchez2027462
Environmental Protection and EnergyMaria E. Hadden17201001
Police and FireChris Taliaferro1318826
Immigrant and Refugee RightsAndre Vasquez Jr.1315945
Housing and Real EstateByron Sigcho-López1218721
Workforce DevelopmentMichael D. Rodriguez611391
Ethics and Government OversightMatthew J. Martin610609
Education and Child DevelopmentJeanette B. Taylor461133
Special Events, Cultural Affairs and RecreationNicholas Sposato3998

Committees and Rules

Chair: Michelle A. Harris. 83 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Jul 9, 2026. The 25 longest-waiting:

Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards

Chair: Gilbert Villegas. 48 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 13, 2026. The 25 longest-waiting:

Transportation and Public Way

Chair: Gregory I. Mitchell. 39 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 7, 2026. The 25 longest-waiting:

Finance

Chair: Pat Dowell. 36 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 13, 2026. The 25 longest-waiting:

License and Consumer Protection

Chair: Debra L. Silverstein. 35 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 7, 2026. The 25 longest-waiting:

Pedestrian and Traffic Safety

Chair: Daniel La Spata. 34 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 9, 2026. The 25 longest-waiting:

Public Safety

Chair: Brian Hopkins. 27 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 8, 2026. The 25 longest-waiting:

Budget and Government Operations

Chair: Jason C. Ervin. 26 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 13, 2026. The 25 longest-waiting:

Contracting Oversight and Equity

Chair: Emma Mitts. 24 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 20, 2026.

Economic, Capital and Technology Development

Chair: Derrick G. Curtis. 20 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 8, 2026.

Health and Human Relations

Chair: Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez. 20 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 1, 2026.

Environmental Protection and Energy

Chair: Maria E. Hadden. 17 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 8, 2026.

Police and Fire

Chair: Chris Taliaferro. 13 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 1, 2026.

Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Chair: Andre Vasquez Jr.. 13 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 15, 2026.

Housing and Real Estate

Chair: Byron Sigcho-López. 12 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 8, 2026.

Workforce Development

Chair: Michael D. Rodriguez. 6 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 7, 2026.

Ethics and Government Oversight

Chair: Matthew J. Martin. 6 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Oct 13, 2026.

Education and Child Development

Chair: Jeanette B. Taylor. 4 items waiting more than a year; last meeting May 26, 2026.

Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation

Chair: Nicholas Sposato. 3 items waiting more than a year; last meeting Jul 7, 2026.

Sponsors can ask the chair for a hearing; residents can call the chair's ward office. Data: the City Clerk's eLMS, refreshed daily.

More insights

  • Stuck in committee: Where legislation goes to die: items waiting in committee for more than a year, by committee and chair.
  • Lone dissents: Roll calls where one alderperson was the only no vote, and which votes they were.
  • Attendance ranking: Every alderperson ranked by attendance on key roll calls, with the meetings they missed.
  • Closest allies: Who votes together and who votes apart on divided roll calls, for every pair of alderpersons.
  • The Mayor's legislation: How the Mayor's legislation fared on the floor: passed, divided, failed, and still waiting.
  • Unanimous vs. divided: How often the Council votes as one, how often it splits, and on what.

Sources and methods: how we get and count this data · report an error