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
May 18, 2017 National HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
May 16, 2017 AL SB 187 Reduces Time to File Appeals for Death Row Inmates Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
May 16, 2017 NE LB 289 Authorizes Life Prison Terms for Sex Traffickers and Solicitors Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
May 11, 2017 AL SB 200 Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
May 10, 2017 VT S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
May 10, 2017 VT S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
May 10, 2017 CO HB 1329 Establishes Requirements for Youth Corrections Centers (21 - 14)
May 10, 2017 CO HB 1329 Establishes Requirements for Youth Corrections Centers Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 22)
May 10, 2017 WI AB 242 Requires Drug Screening for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (62 - 35)
May 9, 2017 AZ SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
May 9, 2017 DE HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
May 9, 2017 DE HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
May 8, 2017 AZ SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
May 8, 2017 MO SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - House (98 - 30)
May 8, 2017 NE LB 259 Authorizes Release Options for Inmates Unable to Pay for Bail Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 3)
May 5, 2017 VT S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
May 5, 2017 VT S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
May 5, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 0)
May 5, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 0)
May 4, 2017 NH SB 9 Prohibits the Use of Victim's Past Sexual Activity as Evidence in Sexual Assault Cases Bill Passed - House (328 - 30)
May 4, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
May 2, 2017 CT HB 6695 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (141 - 8)
May 1, 2017 OR SB 719 Prohibits Individuals with Risk of Suicide from Owning Deadly Weapons Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
May 1, 2017 OR HB 2597 Increases Penalties for Distracted Driving Bill Passed - House (46 - 13)
April 27, 2017 TX HB 89 Prohibits Contracts with Companies Boycotting Israel Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/18 HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
5/16 SB 187 Reduces Time to File Appeals for Death Row Inmates Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
5/16 LB 289 Authorizes Life Prison Terms for Sex Traffickers and Solicitors Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
5/11 SB 200 Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
5/10 S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
5/10 S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
5/10 HB 1329 Establishes Requirements for Youth Corrections Centers (21 - 14)
5/10 HB 1329 Establishes Requirements for Youth Corrections Centers Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 22)
5/10 AB 242 Requires Drug Screening for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (62 - 35)
5/09 SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
5/09 HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
5/09 HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
5/08 SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
5/08 SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - House (98 - 30)
5/08 LB 259 Authorizes Release Options for Inmates Unable to Pay for Bail Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 3)
5/05 S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
5/05 S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
5/05 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 0)
5/05 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 0)
5/04 SB 9 Prohibits the Use of Victim's Past Sexual Activity as Evidence in Sexual Assault Cases Bill Passed - House (328 - 30)
5/04 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
5/02 HB 6695 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (141 - 8)
5/01 SB 719 Prohibits Individuals with Risk of Suicide from Owning Deadly Weapons Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
5/01 HB 2597 Increases Penalties for Distracted Driving Bill Passed - House (46 - 13)
4/27 HB 89 Prohibits Contracts with Companies Boycotting Israel Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)

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