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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 4, 2019 | ID | H 180 | Authorizes Syringe and Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (47 - 20) |
| March 4, 2019 | AZ | HB 2693 | Repeals Requirement that Firearms be Unloaded on School Grounds | Bill Passed - House (31 - 27) |
| March 4, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1177 | Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders | Bill Passed - House (38 - 25) |
| March 1, 2019 | KY | SB 150 | Authorizes Constitutional Carry | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
| March 1, 2019 | MT | HB 498 | Authorizes Parolee Use of Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| Feb. 28, 2019 | CO | SB 19-1025 | Prohibits Employers from Asking About Employee Criminal History | Bill Passed - House (42 - 22) |
| Feb. 28, 2019 | National | HR 1112 | Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 198) |
| Feb. 27, 2019 | KS | HB 2167 | Establishes System for Transfer of Certain Deer Hunting Permits to Nonresidents | Bill Passed - House (63 - 60) |
| Feb. 27, 2019 | WV | HB 2519 | Authorizes Concealed Carry on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| Feb. 27, 2019 | National | HR 8 | Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 190) |
| Feb. 27, 2019 | OH | HB 86 | Amends Regulations for Firearm Length | Bill Passed - House (76 - 20) |
| Feb. 26, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1119 | Requires Law Enforcement Internal Investigations to Become Public | Bill Passed - House (33 - 29) |
| Feb. 26, 2019 | National | H J Res 46 | Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 182) |
| Feb. 24, 2019 | NM | HB 564 | Amends Probation and Parole Procedures | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| Feb. 20, 2019 | IA | HF 262 | Prohibits Pyramid Promotional Schemes | Bill Passed - House (88 - 10) |
| Feb. 20, 2019 | WA | HB 1074 | Increases the Smoking and Vaping Age to 21 | Bill Passed - House (66 - 30) |
| Feb. 19, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1148 | Reduces Maximum Criminal Penalty for Certain Crimes to 364 Days | Bill Passed - House (41 - 21) |
| Feb. 19, 2019 | ND | HB 1381 | Prohibits Government Funded Gun Buyback Programs | Bill Passed - House (66 - 26) |
| Feb. 18, 2019 | IN | HB 1253 | Authorizes Firearm Training for Teachers and School Staff | Bill Passed - House (72 - 25) |
| Feb. 15, 2019 | NV | SB 143 | Expands Background Checks for Private Gun Sales | Bill Passed - House (28 - 13) |
| Feb. 14, 2019 | NH | HB 253 | Prohibits Employers from Asking Job Applicants About Criminal History | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (213 - 142) |
| Feb. 14, 2019 | IN | HB 1615 | Increases Penalties for Animal Abuse | Bill Passed - House (81 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2019 | OK | HB 2597 | Authorizes State Constitutional Carry | Bill Passed - House (70 - 30) |
| Feb. 11, 2019 | OK | HB 2591 | Requires Healthcare Providers Report Statutory Rape | Bill Passed - House (79 - 20) |
| Feb. 8, 2019 | NM | HB 8 | Requires Background Checks for Gun Sales | Bill Passed - House (41 - 25) |
| Jan. 31, 2019 | NJ | A 4135 | Establishes Procedures for Digital Parking Meters and a Fund for Encouraging Designated Drivers | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| Jan. 29, 2019 | NY | S 101 | Prohibits Firearms on School Campuses | Bill Passed - House (104 - 40) |
| Jan. 29, 2019 | NY | S 2374 | Amends Background Check Regulations | Bill Passed - House (85 - 52) |
| Jan. 29, 2019 | NY | S 2451 | Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders | Bill Passed - House (100 - 37) |
| Jan. 29, 2019 | NY | S 2451 | Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders | Bill Passed - House (100 - 37) |
| Jan. 29, 2019 | SD | SB 47 | Authorizes Concealed Carry to Individuals Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (47 - 23) |
| Jan. 29, 2019 | NY | S 2449 | Establishes a Firearm Buyback Program | Bill Passed - House (108 - 36) |
| Jan. 15, 2019 | NY | S 1047 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - House (105 - 43) |
| Jan. 15, 2019 | National | H Res 41 | Rejecting White Nationalism and White Supremacy | Bill Passed - House (424 - 1) |
| Jan. 10, 2019 | DE | HB 1 | Establishes an Equal Rights Amendment in the State Constitution | Bill Passed - House (35 - 6) |
| Dec. 27, 2018 | OH | HB 228 | Establishes New Self-Defense and Firearm Handling Rules | Veto Override Passed - House (67 - 22) |
| Dec. 20, 2018 | National | S 756 | First Step Act of 2018 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (358 - 36) |
| Dec. 17, 2018 | NJ | S 1036 | Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
| Dec. 17, 2018 | NJ | S 1036 | Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
| Dec. 6, 2018 | OH | HB 228 | Establishes New Self-Defense and Firearm Handling Rules | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 22) |
| Dec. 4, 2018 | MI | SB 1175 | Amends Laws Regarding State Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - House (60 - 48) |
| Nov. 27, 2018 | IL | SB 3136 | Authorizes More Discretion by the State Police in Positive Cannabis Testing Terminations | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 24) |
| Nov. 14, 2018 | OH | HB 228 | Establishes New Self-Defense and Firearm Handling Rules | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| Sept. 27, 2018 | NJ | A 2762 | Amends Temporary Disability Leave Law | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 8) |
| Sept. 26, 2018 | PA | HB 2060 | Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations | Bill Passed - House (131 - 62) |
| Sept. 26, 2018 | PA | HB 2060 | Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations | Bill Passed - House (131 - 62) |
| Sept. 26, 2018 | MI | HB 5548 | Establishes Online Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (107 - 0) |
| Sept. 25, 2018 | PA | SB 261 | Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse | Bill Passed - House (173 - 21) |
| Sept. 7, 2018 | National | HR 6691 | Community Safety and Security Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (247 - 152) |
| Aug. 23, 2018 | CA | SB 820 | Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements in Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Cases | Bill Passed - House (56 - 19) |
| Aug. 20, 2018 | CA | SB 10 | Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System | Bill Passed - House (42 - 31) |
| July 26, 2018 | National | HR 5515 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 | Conference Report Adopted - House (359 - 54) |
| June 28, 2018 | MA | H 4670 | Authorizes Temporary Firearm Removal to Those Deemed a Threat | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (132 - 15) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | SB 66 | Authorizes Judges to Sentence Individuals to "Community Control" Facilities | (90 - 2) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | SB 81 | Amends Renewal Procedures for Veteran Concealed Carry Permits | Bill Passed - House (84 - 7) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | HB 349 | Establishes Criminal Penalties for Mistreatment of Search and Rescue Animals | Bill Passed - House (78 - 15) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | HB 36 | Exempts Licensed Ministers From Preforming Marriage Ceremonies Against Religious Beliefs | Bill Passed - House (61 - 30) |
| June 25, 2018 | PA | HB 1037 | Limits Punitive Damages in Certain Medical Lawsuits | Bill Failed - House (91 - 103) |
| June 22, 2018 | National | HR 6 | Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (396 - 14) |
| June 21, 2018 | NJ | A 3861 | Amends Unemployment Insurance Law | (48 - 25) |
| June 20, 2018 | OH | SB 4 | Authorizes Expunged Convictions for Victims of Human Trafficking | Bill Passed - House (81 - 12) |
| June 20, 2018 | OH | HB 365 | Amends Prison Parole and Sentencing Laws | Bill Passed - House (90 - 3) |
| June 15, 2018 | National | HR 2851 | SITSA Act | Bill Passed - House (239 - 142) |
| June 14, 2018 | DE | HB 300 | Prohibits Bump Stocks | Conference Report Adopted - House (36 - 2) |
| June 14, 2018 | RI | H 7715 | Classifies Delivery a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death as a Crime | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| June 14, 2018 | RI | H 7715 | Classifies Delivery a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death as a Crime | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| June 14, 2018 | National | HR 5735 | THRIVE Act | Bill Passed - House (230 - 173) |
| June 13, 2018 | NC | SB 768 | Amends Law to Include Person-First Lanugage | Bill Passed - House (109 - 2) |
| June 13, 2018 | NC | SB 616 | Establishes Heroin And Opioid Prevention and Enforcement Act | Bill Passed - House (87 - 25) |
| June 13, 2018 | NC | SB 616 | Establishes Heroin And Opioid Prevention and Enforcement Act | Bill Passed - House (87 - 25) |
| June 13, 2018 | NY | A 6823 | Amends Sex Trafficking Definition | Bill Passed - House (137 - 0) |
| June 13, 2018 | NY | A 11148 | Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders | Bill Passed - House (108 - 30) |
| June 7, 2018 | NJ | A 2761 | Prohibits Firearm Magazines with More than 10 Rounds | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| June 7, 2018 | NJ | A 1217 | Authorizes Extreme Risk Protective Orders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 11) |
| June 7, 2018 | DE | SB 65 | Prohibits the Practice of Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |