Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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 23, 2017 FL SB 436 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
March 23, 2017 VT S 96 Establishes Protections For Journalists Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
March 15, 2017 FL SB 128 Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
March 9, 2017 NM SB 374 Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
March 8, 2017 MN HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 38)
March 6, 2017 KY SB 17 Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
March 2, 2017 MO SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
Feb. 28, 2017 WA SB 5008 Modifies Legislation Related to REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
Feb. 15, 2017 National H J Res 40 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (57 - 43)
Feb. 2, 2017 WY SF 153 Prohibits Discriminatory Practices in the Workplace Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
Feb. 1, 2017 PA SB 261 Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
Jan. 23, 2017 VA SB 1055 Classifies Failure to Leave Unlawful Assembly After Warning as a Class 1 Misdemeanor Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 26)
June 2, 2015 National HR 2048 Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 32)
April 2, 2015 IN SB 50 Specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Does Not Authorize Discrimination Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
April 2, 2015 ND HB 1328 Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Without a Warrant Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
March 16, 2015 MD SB 340 Expands Voting Rights of Convicted Felons Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
Nov. 18, 2014 National S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
Aug. 26, 2014 CA AB 1327 Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
May 22, 2014 IL SJRCA 75 Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
Feb. 19, 2014 AZ SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Feb. 17, 2014 IN HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
Nov. 19, 2013 National S Amdt 2175 Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46)
May 8, 2013 VT S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
May 1, 2013 IA HF 527 Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
April 8, 2013 MT HB 30 Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/23 SB 436 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
3/23 S 96 Establishes Protections For Journalists Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
3/15 SB 128 Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
3/09 SB 374 Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
3/08 HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 38)
3/06 SB 17 Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
3/02 SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
2/28 SB 5008 Modifies Legislation Related to REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
2/15 H J Res 40 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (57 - 43)
2/02 SF 153 Prohibits Discriminatory Practices in the Workplace Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
2/01 SB 261 Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
1/23 SB 1055 Classifies Failure to Leave Unlawful Assembly After Warning as a Class 1 Misdemeanor Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 26)
6/02 HR 2048 Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 32)
4/02 SB 50 Specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Does Not Authorize Discrimination Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
4/02 HB 1328 Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Without a Warrant Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
3/16 SB 340 Expands Voting Rights of Convicted Felons Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
11/18 S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
8/26 AB 1327 Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
5/22 SJRCA 75 Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
2/19 SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
2/17 HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
11/19 S Amdt 2175 Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46)
5/08 S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
5/01 HF 527 Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
4/08 HB 30 Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)

arrow_upward