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
June 30, 2020 MA H 4818 Establishes a Special Commission to Reduce Racial Inequalities in Maternal Health Bill Passed - House (159 - 0)
June 26, 2020 OR HB 4203 Prohibits Peace Officers from Using Force by Applying Pressure on Throat or Neck Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 1)
June 25, 2020 DE SB 260 Appropriates Funding for Nonprofit Grants-In-Aid Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 0)
June 24, 2020 CA ACA 5 Establishes Constitutional Amendment Repealing Prohibition on Affirmative Action Policies Amendment Adopted - Senate (30 - 10)
June 24, 2020 PA SB 1205 Prohibits the Use of Police Chokeholds Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 24, 2020 MI HB 5672 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Have Implants Bill Passed - House (104 - 2)
June 24, 2020 PA HB 1841 Requires Background Checks for Police Officers Bill Passed - House (201 - 0)
June 23, 2020 GA HB 426 Increase Penalties for Bias-Motivated Crime Concurrence Vote Passed - House (127 - 38)
June 23, 2020 GA HB 426 Increase Penalties for Bias-Motivated Crime Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 6)
June 22, 2020 NM SB 8 Requires Law Enforcement to Use Body-Worn Cameras Bill Passed - House (44 - 26)
June 20, 2020 NM HB 5 Establishes the New Mexico Civil Rights Commission Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 9)
June 19, 2020 NM SB 8 Requires Law Enforcement to Use Body-Worn Cameras Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11)
June 19, 2020 NM HB 5 Establishes the New Mexico Civil Rights Commission Bill Passed - House (53 - 17)
June 19, 2020 NM SB 7 Requires State Agencies to Implement Policies to Reduce Institutional Racism Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
June 19, 2020 VT HR 21 Alleges Donald Trump's Tweets are "Racist" and Recognizes Juneteenth Bill Passed - House (128 - 17)
June 18, 2020 CA AB 1460 Requires Ethnic Studies Course Completion in State Universities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
June 18, 2020 NJ A 2394 Establishes Minority Recruitment Program for Police Departments Bill Passed - House (70 - 3)
June 17, 2020 MS HB 1295 Prohibits Abortions for Reasons of Race, Sex, or Genetic Abnormality Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
June 16, 2020 NH HB 1582 Establishes the Veterans Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 0)
June 12, 2020 CO SB 20-217 Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws Bill Passed - House (52 - 13)
June 11, 2020 CA AB 3121 Establishes a Task Force for Reparations to African Americans Bill Passed - House (61 - 12)
June 10, 2020 NY S 8539 Establishes the Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office Bill Passed - House (121 - 23)
June 10, 2020 NY S 8539 Establishes the Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 20)
June 10, 2020 CA ACA 5 Establishes Constitutional Amendment Repealing Prohibition on Affirmative Action Policies Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 14)
June 9, 2020 NY S 6601 Requires Police Officers to Provide Medical and Mental Health Attention Bill Passed - House (109 - 35)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/30 H 4818 Establishes a Special Commission to Reduce Racial Inequalities in Maternal Health Bill Passed - House (159 - 0)
6/26 HB 4203 Prohibits Peace Officers from Using Force by Applying Pressure on Throat or Neck Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 1)
6/25 SB 260 Appropriates Funding for Nonprofit Grants-In-Aid Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 0)
6/24 ACA 5 Establishes Constitutional Amendment Repealing Prohibition on Affirmative Action Policies Amendment Adopted - Senate (30 - 10)
6/24 SB 1205 Prohibits the Use of Police Chokeholds Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/24 HB 5672 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Have Implants Bill Passed - House (104 - 2)
6/24 HB 1841 Requires Background Checks for Police Officers Bill Passed - House (201 - 0)
6/23 HB 426 Increase Penalties for Bias-Motivated Crime Concurrence Vote Passed - House (127 - 38)
6/23 HB 426 Increase Penalties for Bias-Motivated Crime Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 6)
6/22 SB 8 Requires Law Enforcement to Use Body-Worn Cameras Bill Passed - House (44 - 26)
6/20 HB 5 Establishes the New Mexico Civil Rights Commission Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 9)
6/19 SB 8 Requires Law Enforcement to Use Body-Worn Cameras Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11)
6/19 HB 5 Establishes the New Mexico Civil Rights Commission Bill Passed - House (53 - 17)
6/19 SB 7 Requires State Agencies to Implement Policies to Reduce Institutional Racism Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
6/19 HR 21 Alleges Donald Trump's Tweets are "Racist" and Recognizes Juneteenth Bill Passed - House (128 - 17)
6/18 AB 1460 Requires Ethnic Studies Course Completion in State Universities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
6/18 A 2394 Establishes Minority Recruitment Program for Police Departments Bill Passed - House (70 - 3)
6/17 HB 1295 Prohibits Abortions for Reasons of Race, Sex, or Genetic Abnormality Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
6/16 HB 1582 Establishes the Veterans Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 0)
6/12 SB 20-217 Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws Bill Passed - House (52 - 13)
6/11 AB 3121 Establishes a Task Force for Reparations to African Americans Bill Passed - House (61 - 12)
6/10 S 8539 Establishes the Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office Bill Passed - House (121 - 23)
6/10 S 8539 Establishes the Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 20)
6/10 ACA 5 Establishes Constitutional Amendment Repealing Prohibition on Affirmative Action Policies Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 14)
6/09 S 6601 Requires Police Officers to Provide Medical and Mental Health Attention Bill Passed - House (109 - 35)

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