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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 26, 2018 | MI | SB 704 | Amends Tourism Laws to Impose a Hotel Room Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| July 18, 2018 | MA | H 4546 | Authorizes Creation of Community Benefit Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| July 1, 2018 | NJ | A 4202 | Amends State Tax Rates | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 15) |
| July 1, 2018 | NJ | A 3088 | Increases New Jersey's Earned Income Tax Credit | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| July 1, 2018 | NJ | A 4261 | Requires Out of State Online Vendors to Collect New Jersey Sales Tax | (22 - 15) |
| June 28, 2018 | NC | SB 75 | Establishes a 7 Percent Cap on State Income Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| June 28, 2018 | CA | AB 1838 | Prohibits Local Grocery Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| June 25, 2018 | NJ | A 4163 | Authorizes Municipal Payroll Taxes for School Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| June 21, 2018 | NJ | A 4132 | Amends Nicotine Taxation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| May 16, 2018 | MN | HF 4385 | Amends Tax Law | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 33) |
| April 17, 2018 | CO | SB 18-083 | Establishes Educational Tax Credit System | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 12, 2018 | NJ | S 122 | Authorizes Tax Credits for Film Production | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| April 4, 2018 | TN | HB 1701 | Establishes Tax on Gentleman's Clubs | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2) |
| March 19, 2018 | MD | SB 877 | Authorizes Corporate Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12) |
| March 15, 2018 | AR | HB 1008 | Expands Tuition Savings Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| March 15, 2018 | OK | SB 1086 | Repeals Capital Gains Deduction | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
| March 5, 2018 | MD | SB 256 | Requires Presidential Candidates to Disclose Tax Returns | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| March 1, 2018 | ID | H 463 | Amends Tax Law | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| Feb. 28, 2018 | IA | SF 2383 | Decreases Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Feb. 23, 2018 | OR | SB 1528 | Authorizes Taxation of Repatriated Money | Bill Passed - Senate |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | NM | HB 79 | Authorizes Sale of Goods Without Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 20) |
| Feb. 9, 2018 | National | HR 1892 | Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (71 - 28) |
| Dec. 20, 2017 | National | HR 1 | Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 48) |
| Dec. 2, 2017 | National | HR 1 | Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| Nov. 17, 2017 | OK | HB 1085 | Increases Tax Rates on Oil and Gas Wells | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15) |
| Oct. 12, 2017 | MI | HB 4999 | Prohibits Localities from Taxing Foods and Beverages | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Sept. 12, 2017 | WI | AB 1 | Establishes Tax Incentives for Manufacturing Zone | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| July 25, 2017 | TX | SB 2 | Appropriates Funds for Private School Scholarships | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| July 2, 2017 | DE | HB 279 | Increases Rate of Realty Transfer Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| June 6, 2017 | KS | SB 30 | Establishes Tax Provisions | Veto Override Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| May 23, 2017 | IL | SB 9 | Increases Taxes to Fund the State Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| May 15, 2017 | AK | HB 111 | Restructures Oil Tax and Credit System | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| April 19, 2017 | TN | HB 534 | Establishes Gas Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6) |
| April 19, 2017 | LA | SB 22 | Redefines Hunting Supplies for Purposes of Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| April 13, 2017 | MT | HB 473 | Increases Taxes on Gasoline and Diesel Fuels | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| April 6, 2017 | CA | SB 1 | Increases Gas and Vehicle Taxes to Pay for Road and Bridge Repairs | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| April 6, 2017 | WA | SB 5893 | Expands Vehicle Valuation Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| March 30, 2017 | TX | SB 2 | Appropriates Funds for Private School Scholarships | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| March 30, 2017 | MT | SB 354 | Raises Cigarette Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| March 23, 2017 | WA | SB 5048 | Establishes 2017-2019 Fiscal Biennium Operating Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| March 22, 2017 | ID | H 67 | Repeals Grocery Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 13, 2017 | NJ | S 3048 | Requires Presidential Candidates to Disclose Tax Returns | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| Feb. 6, 2017 | AR | SB 140 | Requires Internet Retailers to Collect State Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| Feb. 2, 2017 | KS | SB 30 | Establishes Tax Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
| Jan. 17, 2017 | NY | S 362 | Prohibits Tax on Merchandise Bags | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18) |
| Oct. 7, 2016 | NJ | A 12 | Restructures Certain State Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Sept. 14, 2016 | MO | SB 641 | Establishes Income Tax Deduction for Agricultural Disaster Aid Payments | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| June 16, 2016 | LA | SB 10 | Prohibits Certain Businesses from Receiving 2 Different Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| June 16, 2016 | LA | SB 6 | Amends Tax Credit Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| June 6, 2016 | AK | HB 247 | Amends Oil and Gas Tax Credit System | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (13 - 6) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/26 | SB 704 | Amends Tourism Laws to Impose a Hotel Room Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 7/18 | H 4546 | Authorizes Creation of Community Benefit Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 7/01 | A 4202 | Amends State Tax Rates | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 7/01 | A 3088 | Increases New Jersey's Earned Income Tax Credit | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 7/01 | A 4261 | Requires Out of State Online Vendors to Collect New Jersey Sales Tax | (22 - 15) |
| 6/28 | SB 75 | Establishes a 7 Percent Cap on State Income Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 6/28 | AB 1838 | Prohibits Local Grocery Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 6/25 | A 4163 | Authorizes Municipal Payroll Taxes for School Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 6/21 | A 4132 | Amends Nicotine Taxation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 5/16 | HF 4385 | Amends Tax Law | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 33) |
| 4/17 | SB 18-083 | Establishes Educational Tax Credit System | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 4/12 | S 122 | Authorizes Tax Credits for Film Production | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| 4/04 | HB 1701 | Establishes Tax on Gentleman's Clubs | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2) |
| 3/19 | SB 877 | Authorizes Corporate Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12) |
| 3/15 | HB 1008 | Expands Tuition Savings Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| 3/15 | SB 1086 | Repeals Capital Gains Deduction | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
| 3/05 | SB 256 | Requires Presidential Candidates to Disclose Tax Returns | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| 3/01 | H 463 | Amends Tax Law | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 2/28 | SF 2383 | Decreases Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 2/23 | SB 1528 | Authorizes Taxation of Repatriated Money | Bill Passed - Senate |
| 2/15 | HB 79 | Authorizes Sale of Goods Without Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 20) |
| 2/09 | HR 1892 | Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (71 - 28) |
| 12/20 | HR 1 | Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 48) |
| 12/02 | HR 1 | Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 11/17 | HB 1085 | Increases Tax Rates on Oil and Gas Wells | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15) |
| 10/12 | HB 4999 | Prohibits Localities from Taxing Foods and Beverages | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 9/12 | AB 1 | Establishes Tax Incentives for Manufacturing Zone | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 7/25 | SB 2 | Appropriates Funds for Private School Scholarships | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 7/02 | HB 279 | Increases Rate of Realty Transfer Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| 6/06 | SB 30 | Establishes Tax Provisions | Veto Override Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 5/23 | SB 9 | Increases Taxes to Fund the State Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| 5/15 | HB 111 | Restructures Oil Tax and Credit System | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 4/19 | HB 534 | Establishes Gas Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6) |
| 4/19 | SB 22 | Redefines Hunting Supplies for Purposes of Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 4/13 | HB 473 | Increases Taxes on Gasoline and Diesel Fuels | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 4/06 | SB 1 | Increases Gas and Vehicle Taxes to Pay for Road and Bridge Repairs | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 4/06 | SB 5893 | Expands Vehicle Valuation Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| 3/30 | SB 2 | Appropriates Funds for Private School Scholarships | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 3/30 | SB 354 | Raises Cigarette Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 3/23 | SB 5048 | Establishes 2017-2019 Fiscal Biennium Operating Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| 3/22 | H 67 | Repeals Grocery Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 3/13 | S 3048 | Requires Presidential Candidates to Disclose Tax Returns | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 2/06 | SB 140 | Requires Internet Retailers to Collect State Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 2/02 | SB 30 | Establishes Tax Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
| 1/17 | S 362 | Prohibits Tax on Merchandise Bags | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18) |
| 10/07 | A 12 | Restructures Certain State Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 9/14 | SB 641 | Establishes Income Tax Deduction for Agricultural Disaster Aid Payments | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| 6/16 | SB 10 | Prohibits Certain Businesses from Receiving 2 Different Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 6/16 | SB 6 | Amends Tax Credit Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 6/06 | HB 247 | Amends Oil and Gas Tax Credit System | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (13 - 6) |