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
April 7, 2016 MD HB 1003 Prohibits Wage Discrimination on Basis of Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13)
April 4, 2016 LA SB 25 Authorizes Legislature to Introduce Fiscal Bills Every Year Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24)
March 31, 2016 CA SB 3 Increases Minimum Wage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
March 30, 2016 MS HB 1523 Establishes Protections for Religious Beliefs or Moral Convictions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
March 24, 2016 AZ HB 2451 Amends Requirements for Release of Undocumented Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
March 23, 2016 NC HB 2 Requires Individuals to Use Bathroom of Biological Sex Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 0)
March 23, 2016 KS SB 469 Amends Labor Union Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
March 22, 2016 KS SB 439 Specifies Qualifications for Impeachment Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
March 17, 2016 NE LB 83 Prohibits Wage Discrimination in Small Businesses Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
March 16, 2016 GA HB 757 Authorizes Religious Officials to Decline to Perform Certain Ceremonies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 18)
March 14, 2016 National PN 1152 Nomination of John B. King to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 40)
March 14, 2016 National PN 1152 Nomination of John B. King to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 40)
March 10, 2016 MO SJR 39 Prohibits Penalties for Declining Participation in Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
March 8, 2016 IA SF 2284 Amends Definition of Hate Crime to Include Gender Identity or Expression Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
March 8, 2016 HI SB 2615 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 2)
March 7, 2016 UT SB 179 Authorizes State to Enforce Payment of Child Support Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
March 3, 2016 FL HB 43 Authorizes Churches to Decline to Provide Certain Marriage Services Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
March 3, 2016 IL HB 580 Requires Mediation of Expired State Collective Bargaining Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 17)
March 3, 2016 MS SB 2306 Prohibits Establishment of Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14)
March 2, 2016 UT SB 107 Amends Definition of a Hate Crime Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
March 2, 2016 IA SF 2252 Requires Accommodations for Employees During Pregnancy Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
March 1, 2016 MO HB 1891 Prohibits the Collection of Union Dues without Written Authorization Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Feb. 29, 2016 GA SB 6 Establishes Driving Safety Cards for Certain Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
Feb. 29, 2016 IA SF 2222 Authorizes Pharmacists to Dispense Over-the-Counter Birth Control Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
Feb. 25, 2016 AL HB 174 Prohibits Local Governments from Establishing Wage or Employee Benefits Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/07 HB 1003 Prohibits Wage Discrimination on Basis of Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13)
4/04 SB 25 Authorizes Legislature to Introduce Fiscal Bills Every Year Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24)
3/31 SB 3 Increases Minimum Wage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
3/30 HB 1523 Establishes Protections for Religious Beliefs or Moral Convictions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
3/24 HB 2451 Amends Requirements for Release of Undocumented Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
3/23 HB 2 Requires Individuals to Use Bathroom of Biological Sex Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 0)
3/23 SB 469 Amends Labor Union Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
3/22 SB 439 Specifies Qualifications for Impeachment Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
3/17 LB 83 Prohibits Wage Discrimination in Small Businesses Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
3/16 HB 757 Authorizes Religious Officials to Decline to Perform Certain Ceremonies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 18)
3/14 PN 1152 Nomination of John B. King to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 40)
3/14 PN 1152 Nomination of John B. King to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 40)
3/10 SJR 39 Prohibits Penalties for Declining Participation in Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
3/08 SF 2284 Amends Definition of Hate Crime to Include Gender Identity or Expression Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
3/08 SB 2615 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 2)
3/07 SB 179 Authorizes State to Enforce Payment of Child Support Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
3/03 HB 43 Authorizes Churches to Decline to Provide Certain Marriage Services Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
3/03 HB 580 Requires Mediation of Expired State Collective Bargaining Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 17)
3/03 SB 2306 Prohibits Establishment of Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14)
3/02 SB 107 Amends Definition of a Hate Crime Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
3/02 SF 2252 Requires Accommodations for Employees During Pregnancy Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
3/01 HB 1891 Prohibits the Collection of Union Dues without Written Authorization Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
2/29 SB 6 Establishes Driving Safety Cards for Certain Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
2/29 SF 2222 Authorizes Pharmacists to Dispense Over-the-Counter Birth Control Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
2/25 HB 174 Prohibits Local Governments from Establishing Wage or Employee Benefits Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)

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