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 28, 2017 AZ SB 1122 Authorizes Sale of Firearms without Background Checks Bill Passed - House (32 - 23)
March 23, 2017 ID H 139 Reduces the Number of Training Hours Required for Cosmetologists Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
March 21, 2017 IA SF 489 Authorizes the Sale of Consumer Fireworks Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
March 8, 2017 UT HB 442 Amends Certain Restrictions Regarding the Sale of Alcohol Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 17)
March 2, 2017 WA HB 1493 Regulates Commercial Use of Biometric Data Bill Passed - House (81 - 17)
March 1, 2017 AZ SB 1122 Authorizes Sale of Firearms without Background Checks Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
Feb. 28, 2017 ID H 139 Reduces the Number of Training Hours Required for Cosmetologists Bill Passed - House (58 - 11)
Feb. 2, 2017 KS SB 30 Establishes Tax Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
Sept. 28, 2016 National HR 6094 Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools, and Nonprofits Act Bill Passed - House (246 - 177)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO HB 1870 Reauthorizes Small Business Tax Deductions Veto Override Failed - Senate (18 - 12)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO HB 1870 Reauthorizes Small Business Tax Deductions Veto Override Passed - House (113 - 43)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA SB 654 Authorizes Paid Family Leave Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
Aug. 15, 2016 CA AB 1687 Requires Entertainment Database Websites to Remove Actor's Age Upon Request Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
July 7, 2016 National S 764 Establishes Labeling Standards for Genetically Modified Foods Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (63 - 30)
June 29, 2016 National S 2328 Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (68 - 30)
June 18, 2016 RI S 2864 Establishes Regulations for Rideshare Companies Bill Passed - House (53 - 6)
June 17, 2016 RI S 2864 Establishes Regulations for Rideshare Companies Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
June 16, 2016 RI H 7007 Authorizes Cities to Establish Regulations for Body Works Businesses Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
June 9, 2016 National HR 5278 Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) Bill Passed - House (297 - 127)
June 9, 2016 National HR 5278 Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) Bill Passed - House (297 - 127)
June 7, 2016 RI H 8240 Requires Referendum for Power Plant Tax Agreement Bill Passed - House (64 - 7)
May 25, 2016 OH HB 180 Prohibits Local Hiring Requirement in Labor Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
May 25, 2016 OH SB 331 Establishes Regulations for Dog Sales Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
May 24, 2016 National H J Res 88 Disapproving the Rule Submitted by the Department of Labor Relating to the Definition of the Term "Fiduciary" Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 41)
May 4, 2016 OH SB 152 Prohibits Local Hiring Requirement in Labor Contracts Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (8 - 25)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/28 SB 1122 Authorizes Sale of Firearms without Background Checks Bill Passed - House (32 - 23)
3/23 H 139 Reduces the Number of Training Hours Required for Cosmetologists Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
3/21 SF 489 Authorizes the Sale of Consumer Fireworks Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
3/08 HB 442 Amends Certain Restrictions Regarding the Sale of Alcohol Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 17)
3/02 HB 1493 Regulates Commercial Use of Biometric Data Bill Passed - House (81 - 17)
3/01 SB 1122 Authorizes Sale of Firearms without Background Checks Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
2/28 H 139 Reduces the Number of Training Hours Required for Cosmetologists Bill Passed - House (58 - 11)
2/02 SB 30 Establishes Tax Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
9/28 HR 6094 Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools, and Nonprofits Act Bill Passed - House (246 - 177)
9/14 HB 1870 Reauthorizes Small Business Tax Deductions Veto Override Failed - Senate (18 - 12)
9/14 HB 1870 Reauthorizes Small Business Tax Deductions Veto Override Passed - House (113 - 43)
8/31 SB 654 Authorizes Paid Family Leave Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
8/15 AB 1687 Requires Entertainment Database Websites to Remove Actor's Age Upon Request Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
7/07 S 764 Establishes Labeling Standards for Genetically Modified Foods Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (63 - 30)
6/29 S 2328 Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (68 - 30)
6/18 S 2864 Establishes Regulations for Rideshare Companies Bill Passed - House (53 - 6)
6/17 S 2864 Establishes Regulations for Rideshare Companies Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
6/16 H 7007 Authorizes Cities to Establish Regulations for Body Works Businesses Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
6/09 HR 5278 Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) Bill Passed - House (297 - 127)
6/09 HR 5278 Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) Bill Passed - House (297 - 127)
6/07 H 8240 Requires Referendum for Power Plant Tax Agreement Bill Passed - House (64 - 7)
5/25 HB 180 Prohibits Local Hiring Requirement in Labor Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
5/25 SB 331 Establishes Regulations for Dog Sales Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
5/24 H J Res 88 Disapproving the Rule Submitted by the Department of Labor Relating to the Definition of the Term "Fiduciary" Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 41)
5/04 SB 152 Prohibits Local Hiring Requirement in Labor Contracts Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (8 - 25)

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