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 6, 2017 LA SB 139 Establishes New Parole Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
June 6, 2017 LA SB 139 Establishes New Parole Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
June 1, 2017 NH SB 66 Authorizes Murder Charges for an Individual Who Causes the Death of a Fetus Bill Passed - House (186 - 170)
June 1, 2017 CA AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
June 1, 2017 CA AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
June 1, 2017 CA AB 1578 Prohibits State Law Enforcement from Cooperating with Federal Marijuana Law Enforcement Bill Passed - House (41 - 33)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
May 31, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
May 31, 2017 CA SB 394 Authorizes Parole for Juvenile Offenders with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
May 31, 2017 CA SB 10 Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System (25 - 11)
May 30, 2017 LA HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
May 30, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
May 30, 2017 LA HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
May 29, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - House (62 - 49)
May 25, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
May 24, 2017 ME LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients
May 24, 2017 LA HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
May 24, 2017 MA H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
May 23, 2017 ME LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - House (61 - 85)
May 18, 2017 National HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/06 SB 139 Establishes New Parole Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
6/06 SB 139 Establishes New Parole Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
6/01 SB 66 Authorizes Murder Charges for an Individual Who Causes the Death of a Fetus Bill Passed - House (186 - 170)
6/01 AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
6/01 AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
6/01 AB 1578 Prohibits State Law Enforcement from Cooperating with Federal Marijuana Law Enforcement Bill Passed - House (41 - 33)
5/31 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
5/31 SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
5/31 SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
5/31 SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
5/31 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
5/31 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
5/31 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
5/31 SB 394 Authorizes Parole for Juvenile Offenders with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
5/31 SB 10 Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System (25 - 11)
5/30 HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
5/30 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
5/30 HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
5/29 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - House (62 - 49)
5/25 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
5/24 LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients
5/24 HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
5/24 H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
5/23 LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - House (61 - 85)
5/18 HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)

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