Key Votes

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Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.

For more information about the legislative process, see here.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 6, 2025 SD HB 1174 Amends Certain Provisions Related to the Rights and Obligations of a Father of a Child Born to an Unmarried Mother Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1)
March 6, 2025 National PN 11-4 Nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to be Secretary of Labor Cloture Invoked - Senate (66 - 30)
March 6, 2025 National PN 11-4 Nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to be Secretary of Labor Cloture Invoked - Senate (66 - 30)
March 6, 2025 National PN 12-14 Nomination of Troy Edgar to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 43)
March 6, 2025 GA SB 61 Establishes Additional Offenses for Terroristic Threats Against Public or Private Schools Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22)
March 6, 2025 WV SB 299 Prohibits Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
March 6, 2025 MT SB 437 Amends and Defines Sex as Binary in Montana State Law Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
March 5, 2025 CT SB 1453 Appropriates $2.8 Million to Support Certain LGBTQ+ Nonprofit Organizations and Planned Parenthood Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
March 5, 2025 National PN 12-5 Nomination of Todd Blanche to be Deputy Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 46)
March 5, 2025 TX SB 5 Establishes the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT) Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2)
March 5, 2025 AL SB 199 Establishes an Alabama Public Employee Paid Parental Leave Program Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
March 4, 2025 WY HB 32 Establishes Statutory Definitions for "Man", "Woman", and "Biological Sex" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
March 4, 2025 WY HB 32 Establishes Statutory Definitions for "Man", "Woman", and "Biological Sex" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
March 4, 2025 NY S 4515 Requires Employers of Domestic Workers to Provide Annual Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21)
March 4, 2025 NY S 2236 Establishes the Wage Payment Integrity Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
March 4, 2025 NY S 1514 Authorizes the Commissioner of Labor to Issue Stop-Work Orders for Employee Misclassification Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
March 4, 2025 NY S 4611 Establishes Grounds for Attachment and Streamlines Wage Claims Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22)
March 4, 2025 NY S 4188 Establishes the Crime of Misappropriation of Payroll Funds Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
March 3, 2025 National PN 11-10 Nomination of Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 45)
March 3, 2025 National S 9 Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 45)
March 3, 2025 GA SB 74 Authorizes Librarians in Public Libraries, K-12 Schools, and Colleges to be Prosecuted if They Provide "Sexually Explicit Materials" to Minors Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 23)
March 3, 2025 WV SB 456 Defines "Men" and "Women" in State Code Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
March 3, 2025 GA SB 55 Repeals Exemptions to the State Minimum Wage for Employees with Disabilities Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 3)
March 3, 2025 GA SB 30 Prohibits Physicians from Prescribing Puberty-Blocking Drugs to Transgender Youth Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
March 3, 2025 GA SB 185 Prohibits State Funding for Gender-Affirming Care for Prisoners Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15)
Feb. 27, 2025 National PN 11-10 Nomination of Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
Feb. 27, 2025 MO SB 10 Repeals Expiration Dates from Restrictions on Transgender Youth Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 27, 2025 IA SF 418 Prohibits the Recognition of Gender Identity as a Protected Class Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
Feb. 26, 2025 National PN 11-17 Nomination of Jamieson Greer to be U.S. Trade Representative Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
Feb. 26, 2025 AZ SB 1268 Require Hospitals to Question Patients on Legal Status in the United States Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
Feb. 26, 2025 CO SB 25-024 Amends Plan for Expansion of State Judicial Branch Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Feb. 26, 2025 NM SB 175 Expands the State Free Childcare Program to All Families Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
Feb. 26, 2025 AZ SB 1464 Requires the Arizona Department of Revenue to Notify the State Legislature of Tax Laws that Adversely Impact Residents Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
Feb. 26, 2025 NM SB 175 Expands the State Free Childcare Program to All Families Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
Feb. 25, 2025 National PN 12-12 Nomination of Daniel Driscoll to be Secretary of the Army Nomination Confirmed - Senate (66 - 28)
Feb. 25, 2025 National PN 11-10 Nomination of Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education Motion Agreed - Senate (51 - 47)
Feb. 25, 2025 NJ S 3052 Authorizes Final Grades for Individuals Unable to Complete a Course of Higher Education Due to Military Obligation Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
Feb. 25, 2025 RI S 63 Reduces Max Misdemeanor Sentences from One Year to 364 Days Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Feb. 25, 2025 NJ S 3773 Specifies that a Client Company is Solely Responsible for Complying with the Reporting Requirements Concerning a Separation from Employment Imposed by Employers Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
Feb. 25, 2025 SD SB 193 Authorizes an Applicant to have an Interpreter Present During the Driving Portion of a Driver License Exam Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 2)
Feb. 24, 2025 National PN 12-12 Nomination of Daniel Driscoll to be Secretary of the Army Cloture Invoked - Senate (66 - 28)
Feb. 21, 2025 WV SB 139 Amends Policies for Filling Legislative Vacancies Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 0)
Feb. 20, 2025 National PN 12-35 Nomination of Kashyap Patel to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 49)
Feb. 20, 2025 National PN 12-35 Nomination of Kashyap Patel to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
Feb. 20, 2025 VA HB 2743 Requires Prevailing Wage Rules on Any Project Involving Underground Infrastructure Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
Feb. 20, 2025 IN SB 197 Establishes a Class C Misdemeanor to Use Public Land for Long-Term Shelter Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
Feb. 20, 2025 CO SB 25-004 Authorizes Parents to Request Refunds on Fees from Childcare Centers Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Feb. 19, 2025 National PN 11-18 Nomination of Kelly Loeffler to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 46)
Feb. 19, 2025 VA HB 2356 Requires Prevailing Wage Levels for a Percentage of Job Slots for Apprentices Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Feb. 19, 2025 KS SB 79 Limits SNAP Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
Feb. 19, 2025 KS SB 79 Limits SNAP Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
Feb. 18, 2025 KS SB 63 Prohibits Gender Affirming Care for Minors Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
Feb. 18, 2025 National PN 11-9 Nomination of Howard Lutnick to be Secretary of Commerce Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 45)
Feb. 18, 2025 VA SB 1105 Establishes the Right to Access and Use FDA-Approved Contraceptives Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Feb. 18, 2025 CO HB 25-1058 Amends the Process when an Individual Pleads Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
Feb. 18, 2025 National PN 12-35 Nomination of Kashyap Patel to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Motion Agreed - Senate (48 - 45)
Feb. 18, 2025 AL SB 76 Exempts Nursing Mothers from Jury Duty Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 0)
Feb. 18, 2025 SD SB 196 Requires the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings be Incorporated in School Curriculum Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 28)
Feb. 18, 2025 CO SB 25-005 Repeals the Requirement for a Second Election in the Collective Bargaining Process Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 18, 2025 CO SB 25-005 Repeals the Requirement for a Second Election in the Collective Bargaining Process Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 18, 2025 AL SB 67 Increases Governor Authority Over the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Feb. 18, 2025 IN SB 2 Establishes State Medicaid Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9)
Feb. 18, 2025 KY SB 2 Prohibits Public Funds from Being Spent on Gender-Affirming Care in Kentucky Prisons Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
Feb. 17, 2025 AR SB 17 Prohibits the Selling of a Human Corpse or Body Parts Set to be Cremated or Buried Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
Feb. 14, 2025 VA HB 2002 Prohibits the Cancellation of the Voter Registration of Deployed Service Members Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
Feb. 13, 2025 National PN 11-8 Nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 48)
Feb. 13, 2025 National PN 11-12 Nomination of Brooke Rollins to be Secretary of Agriculture Nomination Confirmed - Senate (72 - 28)
Feb. 13, 2025 National PN 11-9 Nomination of Howard Lutnick to be Secretary of Commerce Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 45)
Feb. 13, 2025 National PN 11-18 Nomination of Kelly Loeffler to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 43)
Feb. 13, 2025 MI SB 8 Amends Timelines for State Minimum Wage Increases Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
Feb. 13, 2025 AL SB 63 Requires Law Enforcement Agencies to Collect and Submit Fingerprints and DNA from Undocumented Immigrants in Custody Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
Feb. 13, 2025 AL SB 55 Prohibits Use of Driver's Licenses Issued Without Proof of Legal Residency in the United States Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
Feb. 13, 2025 GA SB 21 Repeals Sanctuary City Lawsuit Immunity Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 18)
Feb. 12, 2025 AR SB 3 Repeals Affirmative Action Policies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
Feb. 12, 2025 National PN 11-16 Nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 48)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/06 HB 1174 Amends Certain Provisions Related to the Rights and Obligations of a Father of a Child Born to an Unmarried Mother Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1)
3/06 PN 11-4 Nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to be Secretary of Labor Cloture Invoked - Senate (66 - 30)
3/06 PN 11-4 Nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to be Secretary of Labor Cloture Invoked - Senate (66 - 30)
3/06 PN 12-14 Nomination of Troy Edgar to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 43)
3/06 SB 61 Establishes Additional Offenses for Terroristic Threats Against Public or Private Schools Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22)
3/06 SB 299 Prohibits Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
3/06 SB 437 Amends and Defines Sex as Binary in Montana State Law Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
3/05 SB 1453 Appropriates $2.8 Million to Support Certain LGBTQ+ Nonprofit Organizations and Planned Parenthood Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
3/05 PN 12-5 Nomination of Todd Blanche to be Deputy Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 46)
3/05 SB 5 Establishes the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT) Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2)
3/05 SB 199 Establishes an Alabama Public Employee Paid Parental Leave Program Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
3/04 HB 32 Establishes Statutory Definitions for "Man", "Woman", and "Biological Sex" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
3/04 HB 32 Establishes Statutory Definitions for "Man", "Woman", and "Biological Sex" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
3/04 S 4515 Requires Employers of Domestic Workers to Provide Annual Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21)
3/04 S 2236 Establishes the Wage Payment Integrity Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
3/04 S 1514 Authorizes the Commissioner of Labor to Issue Stop-Work Orders for Employee Misclassification Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
3/04 S 4611 Establishes Grounds for Attachment and Streamlines Wage Claims Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22)
3/04 S 4188 Establishes the Crime of Misappropriation of Payroll Funds Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
3/03 PN 11-10 Nomination of Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 45)
3/03 S 9 Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 45)
3/03 SB 74 Authorizes Librarians in Public Libraries, K-12 Schools, and Colleges to be Prosecuted if They Provide "Sexually Explicit Materials" to Minors Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 23)
3/03 SB 456 Defines "Men" and "Women" in State Code Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
3/03 SB 55 Repeals Exemptions to the State Minimum Wage for Employees with Disabilities Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 3)
3/03 SB 30 Prohibits Physicians from Prescribing Puberty-Blocking Drugs to Transgender Youth Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
3/03 SB 185 Prohibits State Funding for Gender-Affirming Care for Prisoners Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15)
2/27 PN 11-10 Nomination of Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
2/27 SB 10 Repeals Expiration Dates from Restrictions on Transgender Youth Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/27 SF 418 Prohibits the Recognition of Gender Identity as a Protected Class Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
2/26 PN 11-17 Nomination of Jamieson Greer to be U.S. Trade Representative Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
2/26 SB 1268 Require Hospitals to Question Patients on Legal Status in the United States Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
2/26 SB 25-024 Amends Plan for Expansion of State Judicial Branch Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
2/26 SB 175 Expands the State Free Childcare Program to All Families Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
2/26 SB 1464 Requires the Arizona Department of Revenue to Notify the State Legislature of Tax Laws that Adversely Impact Residents Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
2/26 SB 175 Expands the State Free Childcare Program to All Families Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
2/25 PN 12-12 Nomination of Daniel Driscoll to be Secretary of the Army Nomination Confirmed - Senate (66 - 28)
2/25 PN 11-10 Nomination of Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education Motion Agreed - Senate (51 - 47)
2/25 S 3052 Authorizes Final Grades for Individuals Unable to Complete a Course of Higher Education Due to Military Obligation Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
2/25 S 63 Reduces Max Misdemeanor Sentences from One Year to 364 Days Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
2/25 S 3773 Specifies that a Client Company is Solely Responsible for Complying with the Reporting Requirements Concerning a Separation from Employment Imposed by Employers Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
2/25 SB 193 Authorizes an Applicant to have an Interpreter Present During the Driving Portion of a Driver License Exam Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 2)
2/24 PN 12-12 Nomination of Daniel Driscoll to be Secretary of the Army Cloture Invoked - Senate (66 - 28)
2/21 SB 139 Amends Policies for Filling Legislative Vacancies Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 0)
2/20 PN 12-35 Nomination of Kashyap Patel to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 49)
2/20 PN 12-35 Nomination of Kashyap Patel to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
2/20 HB 2743 Requires Prevailing Wage Rules on Any Project Involving Underground Infrastructure Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
2/20 SB 197 Establishes a Class C Misdemeanor to Use Public Land for Long-Term Shelter Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
2/20 SB 25-004 Authorizes Parents to Request Refunds on Fees from Childcare Centers Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
2/19 PN 11-18 Nomination of Kelly Loeffler to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 46)
2/19 HB 2356 Requires Prevailing Wage Levels for a Percentage of Job Slots for Apprentices Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
2/19 SB 79 Limits SNAP Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
2/19 SB 79 Limits SNAP Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
2/18 SB 63 Prohibits Gender Affirming Care for Minors Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
2/18 PN 11-9 Nomination of Howard Lutnick to be Secretary of Commerce Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 45)
2/18 SB 1105 Establishes the Right to Access and Use FDA-Approved Contraceptives Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
2/18 HB 25-1058 Amends the Process when an Individual Pleads Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
2/18 PN 12-35 Nomination of Kashyap Patel to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Motion Agreed - Senate (48 - 45)
2/18 SB 76 Exempts Nursing Mothers from Jury Duty Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 0)
2/18 SB 196 Requires the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings be Incorporated in School Curriculum Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 28)
2/18 SB 25-005 Repeals the Requirement for a Second Election in the Collective Bargaining Process Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/18 SB 25-005 Repeals the Requirement for a Second Election in the Collective Bargaining Process Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/18 SB 67 Increases Governor Authority Over the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
2/18 SB 2 Establishes State Medicaid Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9)
2/18 SB 2 Prohibits Public Funds from Being Spent on Gender-Affirming Care in Kentucky Prisons Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
2/17 SB 17 Prohibits the Selling of a Human Corpse or Body Parts Set to be Cremated or Buried Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
2/14 HB 2002 Prohibits the Cancellation of the Voter Registration of Deployed Service Members Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
2/13 PN 11-8 Nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 48)
2/13 PN 11-12 Nomination of Brooke Rollins to be Secretary of Agriculture Nomination Confirmed - Senate (72 - 28)
2/13 PN 11-9 Nomination of Howard Lutnick to be Secretary of Commerce Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 45)
2/13 PN 11-18 Nomination of Kelly Loeffler to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 43)
2/13 SB 8 Amends Timelines for State Minimum Wage Increases Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
2/13 SB 63 Requires Law Enforcement Agencies to Collect and Submit Fingerprints and DNA from Undocumented Immigrants in Custody Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
2/13 SB 55 Prohibits Use of Driver's Licenses Issued Without Proof of Legal Residency in the United States Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
2/13 SB 21 Repeals Sanctuary City Lawsuit Immunity Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 18)
2/12 SB 3 Repeals Affirmative Action Policies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
2/12 PN 11-16 Nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 48)

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