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
Feb. 5, 2021 National S Con Res 5 A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2021 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2022 through 2030 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 50)
Feb. 2, 2021 KY SB 2 Increases Legislative Oversight Over Executive Orders Related to Emergencies Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
Jan. 28, 2021 ID S 1022 Transfers $4 Million from the General Fund to the Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
Jan. 11, 2021 NJ SR 106 Establishes Disapproval of Events of January 6 Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Jan. 9, 2021 KY HB 1 Authorizes Businesses, Organizations, and Schools to Remain Open if they are Following CDC Guidelines Regardless of Governor Mandate Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
July 30, 2020 NJ ACR 188 Establishes Referendum to Delay Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
July 15, 2020 PA SB 1166 Limits the Governor's Emergency Powers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
June 12, 2020 MN SC 1 Repeals the Governor's Peacetime Emergency Declaration Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 29)
Feb. 26, 2020 MI SB 686 Prohibits Disciplinary Action Against State Employees for Communicating with Legislative Branch Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
Feb. 5, 2020 National H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 53)
Feb. 5, 2020 National H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (48 - 52)
Jan. 31, 2020 National S Amdt 1298 Requires the US Chief Justice to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents and issues of privilege Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47)
Jan. 31, 2020 National S Res 488 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
Jan. 22, 2020 National S Res 483 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
Jan. 16, 2020 DE HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
Sept. 26, 2019 National SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
July 1, 2019 DE HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 8)
May 27, 2019 AZ SB 1558 Increases Stipends for State Legislators Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
Dec. 5, 2018 WI SB 884 Reduces Period for Early Voting and Limits Powers of the State Attorney General Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
July 19, 2018 National S Res 584 A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate against the making available of current and former diplomats, officials, and members of the Armed Forces of the United States for questioning by the government of Vladimir Putin. Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 0)
June 27, 2018 NC HB 913 Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
April 11, 2018 MO SJR 27 Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
March 28, 2018 AL HB 317 Exempts Certain Individuals from Registering as Lobbyists Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
Feb. 23, 2018 WA SB 6617 Exempts Legislators from Public Records Law Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
May 2, 2017 WI SB 15 Expands Legislature's Regulatory Review Powers Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/05 S Con Res 5 A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2021 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2022 through 2030 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 50)
2/02 SB 2 Increases Legislative Oversight Over Executive Orders Related to Emergencies Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
1/28 S 1022 Transfers $4 Million from the General Fund to the Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
1/11 SR 106 Establishes Disapproval of Events of January 6 Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
1/09 HB 1 Authorizes Businesses, Organizations, and Schools to Remain Open if they are Following CDC Guidelines Regardless of Governor Mandate Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
7/30 ACR 188 Establishes Referendum to Delay Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
7/15 SB 1166 Limits the Governor's Emergency Powers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
6/12 SC 1 Repeals the Governor's Peacetime Emergency Declaration Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 29)
2/26 SB 686 Prohibits Disciplinary Action Against State Employees for Communicating with Legislative Branch Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
2/05 H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 53)
2/05 H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (48 - 52)
1/31 S Amdt 1298 Requires the US Chief Justice to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents and issues of privilege Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47)
1/31 S Res 488 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
1/22 S Res 483 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
1/16 HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
9/26 SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
7/01 HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 8)
5/27 SB 1558 Increases Stipends for State Legislators Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
12/05 SB 884 Reduces Period for Early Voting and Limits Powers of the State Attorney General Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
7/19 S Res 584 A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate against the making available of current and former diplomats, officials, and members of the Armed Forces of the United States for questioning by the government of Vladimir Putin. Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 0)
6/27 HB 913 Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
4/11 SJR 27 Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
3/28 HB 317 Exempts Certain Individuals from Registering as Lobbyists Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
2/23 SB 6617 Exempts Legislators from Public Records Law Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
5/02 SB 15 Expands Legislature's Regulatory Review Powers Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)

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