SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- The 2007 legislative session won't be remembered for what lawmakers accomplished for Illinois. A year of overtime infighting and bickering has assured it will be infamous for all that didn't get done.

Still, legislators can point to some achievements. From a statewide smoking ban and electric rate relief to a bevy of new license plates and protection for horses, more than 700 measures -- both significant and obscure -- became law.

Here's a look at what happened under the Statehouse dome that might affect day-to-day life in Illinois.

ELECTRIC RATES

No issue hit legislators' political panic button like this one. A 10-year electric rate freeze ended in January, and some customers loudly complained about seeing their bills double or triple from the year before.

Forced to do something, lawmakers eventually negotiated a $1 billion relief package that essentially cut customers' rate increases in half this year. Ameren and ComEd gave back money to customers through rebate checks and bill credits.

Some complained many customers would only get back about $100 or less, and their bills will slowly climb in coming years until the increased rates are back at full strength. A new state agency was created to start negotiating the best electric prices possible later in 2008.

EDUCATION

After months of arguments, lawmakers approved a $59 billion budget that pumped nearly $600 million in extra money to education, most of which will go to schools in the form of a $400-per-pupil increase in state funding.

While that increase marks a single-year record for Illinois, it's far short of the major education funding reform that some lawmakers thought was possible. Ideas for overhauling the system included raising income taxes and selling the state lottery, but they fell apart as state officials battled.

SILENT SCHOOLS

Lawmakers approved a much-debated measure requiring public schools to observe an already optional moment of silence in classrooms each day.

Supporters argue it's simply a chance for students to reflect on the day ahead in a moment of peace and quiet.

But opponents say it's another push for mandated school prayer. They've won one federal court battle that has put the law in legal limbo and left schools uncertain about whether to require the quiet time.

LOCAL PROJECTS

Gov. Rod Blagojevich used his veto power to cut $480 million in lawmaker projects and other items from the spending plan to help pay for a major health care expansion that lawmakers refused to approve.

Blagojevich maintained his cuts took out "unnecessary" projects such as volleyball court improvements and an international dance exhibition, but he also cut funding for a veterans care home, hospital payments and bridges.

Almost all those cuts fell on projects sought by his legislative opponents; his allies were spared. Angry legislators restored a fraction of those cuts, and more could be reversed if lawmakers ever agree on a statewide program for roads, schools and other construction projects.

HEALTH CARE

Blagojevich pushed all year for a state health care insurance plan that would allow all Illinoisans to have coverage, but lawmakers balked at the cost and the massive business tax he proposed to pay for it. So the governor pushed ahead with the program to provide poor and middle-class people with more affordable coverage, defying a legislative committee that rejected his proposed administrative rule changes. That snubbing has resulted in a court challenge.

SMOKE-FREE ILLINOIS

Concerned about the health dangers of secondhand smoke, lawmakers made Illinois the 19th state to snuff out smoking in bars, restaurants and other public workplaces. The ban goes into effect Jan. 1, although there's still some uncertainty about how it will be enforced because state regulations haven't been finalized.

Legislators could still exempt riverboat casinos from the ban, fearing it would hurt business and reduce the hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue the state receives from the boats.

CABLE COMPETITION

AT&T successfully persuaded lawmakers and Blagojevich to make it easier for the company to compete with cable companies to offer telephone, Internet and new television service.

The new law scraps the old system of requiring cable companies to negotiate franchise deals with local communities and puts in place a statewide franchising system.

New cable providers such as AT&T will be required to meet certain service standards to ensure they're not "cherrypicking" lucrative customers, and all cable companies will face stricter service requirements on contracts and customer appointments.

AT&T spokesman Andrew Ross said the company plans to make its "U-Verse" service available early next year to some parts of the state, but would not say exactly where or when for competitive reasons.

DRIVING

Teenagers will face more hurdles to getting driver's licenses in 2008.

New laws double to 50 hours the amount of time they must practice driving, shorten their curfew by an hour and increase from 18 to 19 the age at which teens can talk on cell phones while driving, other than in an emergency.

License plates honoring special causes and accomplishments were a popular theme: War veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, vets' widows, Rotary Club members, Boy and Girl Scouts, agriculture in the classroom and ovarian cancer awareness all received reserved spots on Illinois vehicles.

STEM CELL RESEARCH

Illinois now officially endorses embryonic stem cell research, which offers promise for important medical breakthroughs but also raises ethical questions.

Blagojevich used his executive authority in the last two years to provide $15 million in state grants for the research. The new law sets up an institute to award more grants and allows "therapeutic cloning" for cell research.

EARLIER PRIMARY

Having an Illinoisan running for president prompted lawmakers to try to put the state in play for the 2008 election.

Lawmakers bumped up the primary six weeks to Feb. 5, joining many other states in stretching out the presidential campaign for nearly the entire year.

They hope to boost U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's chances by giving him a big win early in the national cycle. Ordinarily, the nominees for both parties are virtually decided by the time Illinoisans vote in late March.

OTHER TIDBITS

After several failed tries, lawmakers approved a ban on slaughtering horses for human consumption. It's designed to close a slaughterhouse in DeKalb that ships horse meat overseas to be sold for people to eat.

And hunters can't use the Internet to pursue their prey, as Illinois joined a litany of states to ban the practice of hunting in which participants maneuver a rifle and shoot at animals at a remote location with the click of a mouse.