The Illinois State Constitution

Since Illinois became a state in 1818, it has been a microcosm of the country at every stage of its development, from its status as a "free" state in antebellum America to a state rich in agriculture and industry whose goods and services now travel the world. Illinois' four state constitutions have reflected its changing values. Illinois is currently one of the few states that have adopted a new constitution since World War II. This 1970 constitution has become a model for countries in Central and Eastern Europe seeking examples of modern American constitutions.

The Illinois State Constitution traces the history of the state's constitution from its statehood in 1818 to the adoption of the state's fourth constitution in 1970. Ann M. Lousin, who has been involved in Illinois constitutional development and government for over four decades, provides provision-by-provision commentary and analysis of the state's current constitution, covering the Preamble, the Bill of Rights, and the various articles and amendments, including a survey of case law under each provision. Previously published by Greenwood, this title has been brought back in to circulation by Oxford University Press with new verve. Re-printed with standardization of content organization in order to facilitate research across the series, this title, as with all titles in the series, is set to join the dynamic revision cycle of The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States.


The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States is an important series that reflects a renewed international interest in constitutional history and provides expert insight into each of the 50 state constitutions. Each volume in this innovative series contains a historical overview of the state's constitutional development, a section-by-section analysis of its current constitution, and a comprehensive guide to further research.

Under the expert editorship of Professor G. Alan Tarr, Director of the Center on State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers University, this series provides essential reference tools for understanding state constitutional law. Books in the series can be purchased individually or as part of a complete set, giving readers unmatched access to these important political documents.

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Ann M. Lousin, J.D. is Professor of Law at The John Marshall Law School.

Before law school, Lousin studied political science at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. After graduating from law school in 1968, she was a research assistant at the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention, where she worked on the drafting of the 1970 Illinois constitution. From 1971 to 1975, she was on the staff of the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, including two years as Parliamentarian of the House.

Lousin has served on several not-for-profit boards and governmental commissions, including a term as Chairman of the Illinois State Civil Service Commission. She is active in the commercial law committees of the American and Chicago Bar Associations, and has been the chair of the CBA Constitutional Law Committee. In 2009, she was elected a member of the American Law Institute.