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That site is just ridiculous
Tuesday, Jun 9, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * The ILGA.gov website has many flaws. My main irritant is too many clicks are required to get to information that used to be accessible from the front page. And speaking of clicking, why does this overlay have to appear every time I use the site? If they’re using cookies, why can’t their cookies tell them that I already accepted cookies like two seconds ago? It just makes no sense and is a major irritant…  It’s not “better with cookies” if the cookies are that dumb. C’mon, people. Also, that’s a cropped image. The full cookie message isn’t shown.
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- Alton Sinkhole - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 12:28 pm:
It’s unbelievable to me how bad the “new and improved” version is on that site. I’m sure part of it was I just got used to the old layout, but it’s so hard to find stuff (banned puncuation)
- Screwtape - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 12:31 pm:
One of many websites that have been “improved” by the state agencies that were actually much better before being improved on in any way whatsoever. The Board of Elections website was also far easier to navigate before the dropdown menu apocalypse they turned it into.
- Annon'in - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 12:39 pm:
We like cookies, but the old version which had reports on bill pending 2nd chamber were very useful too
- levivoted4judy - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 12:41 pm:
I agree 100%. It’s clunky.
- Alton Sinkhole - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 12:49 pm:
==The Board of Elections website was also far easier to navigate before the dropdown menu apocalypse they turned it into.==
Hear, hear. One of the least navigatable sites I have to use on a regular basis.
- Leslie K - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 12:55 pm:
I used to do quite a bit of research on websites of other state legislatures, and was always so pleased to come back to ilga.gov for something. Easy to use, intuitive, ready access to the critical info–so much better than other states. Now I’m just grateful my current job doesn’t require regular use of ilga.gov.
Sometimes I think “I’d like to look that up,” and then I just don’t bother because ilga.gov is so awful now.
- ThePAMan - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 1:03 pm:
It is reassuring to know that I am not the only one completely annoyed by this.
- Banish Misfortune - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 1:04 pm:
It’s right up there with listen closely, our menu options have changed.
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 1:10 pm:
Does anyone think this is deliberate?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 1:12 pm:
===Does anyone think this is deliberate? ===
To what end? Legislators hate the revamped site, too.
- Someone - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 1:14 pm:
==Sometimes I think “I’d like to look that up,” and then I just don’t bother because ilga.gov is so awful now.==
I don’t think anything nefarious is happening but it does seem like the folks running ILGA.gov do not have an incentive to make their website actually usable. If anything, they are incentivized to make it “pretty” but functionally useless.
- Yooper in Diaspora - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 1:17 pm:
I have noticed this too. Is it just that the website was outsourced to a company that promised cheaper maintenance? Who designed it?
AI overviews and sites that pay to be seen also make it harder now to find some information and sites during general internet searches.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 1:19 pm:
===Who designed it?===
No idea, but I blame the people who actually are responsible for running it.
- hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 1:25 pm:
En s iffication prime example
- Change Agent - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 1:27 pm:
My favorite part is when they gaslight you about things that don’t work. I have contacted them to say “I used to be able to do X on the old site, but now I can’t.” No one will respond until several weeks later when someone will email back and say “If you just click on Y, you can easily do X.”
- Space Cowboy - Tuesday, Jun 9, 26 @ 1:29 pm:
I guess the idea to select which general assembly at the very top of the screen makes sense in theory, but somehow I always miss it or forget it’s there when I’m looking for something older. Never had that problem when there was the bright “Previous General Assemblies” link in the main area.
I’ll get used to it eventually but it’s annoying.