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
March 9, 2018 WY HB 168 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
March 9, 2018 WY HB 168 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
March 8, 2018 WA HB 3003 Amends Various Police 'Use of Force' Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
March 8, 2018 WA HB 3003 Amends Various Police 'Use of Force' Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
March 7, 2018 MS HB 1083 Authorizes Concealed Carry on Public Property Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18)
March 5, 2018 FL SB 7026 Establishes the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
March 2, 2018 ID S 1313 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
March 1, 2018 WA HB 2578 Establishes Source-of-Income Housing Non-Discrimination Policy Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
March 1, 2018 MS HB 1479 Amends Bail License Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10)
Feb. 28, 2018 WA HB 1513 Authorizes Automatic Voter Pre-Registration for 16 and 17 Year Old Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
Feb. 27, 2018 WA SB 5992 Prohibits Bump Stocks Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
Feb. 27, 2018 IN HB 1359 Increases Penalties for Drug Dealers Connected to Overdose Deaths Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 9)
Feb. 27, 2018 OR HB 4135 Authorizes Healthcare Providers to Make Decisions for End of Life Patients Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
Feb. 27, 2018 IN HB 1359 Increases Penalties for Drug Dealers Connected to Overdose Deaths Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 9)
Feb. 26, 2018 NJ S 493 Authorizes Transgender Death Certificates Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 22, 2018 OR HB 4145 Prohibits Convicted Stalkers from Possessing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
Feb. 22, 2018 WA SB 6052 Repeals Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
Feb. 22, 2018 WA SB 6052 Repeals Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1959 Secure and Succeed Act (Grassley Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (39 - 60)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1948 Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1958 Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1955 Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 9, 2018 WA SB 6298 Amends Definitions and Regulations for Domestic Violence Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
Feb. 9, 2018 WA SB 6298 Amends Definitions and Regulations for Domestic Violence Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
Jan. 25, 2018 WA SB 5992 Prohibits Bump Stocks Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
Jan. 19, 2018 WA SB 5766 Requires School Districts to Adopt Transgender Student Policies and Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
Jan. 18, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Jan. 18, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Jan. 18, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Jan. 3, 2018 NH HB 372 Amends Definition of Residency for Voting Purposes "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
Nov. 8, 2017 MI SB 366 Authorizes 18-Year-Olds to Obtain Concealed Carry Permits Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Nov. 8, 2017 MI SB 586 Prohibits Localities from Placing Restrictions on Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Nov. 7, 2017 WI SB 54 Requires Department of Corrections to Revoke Parole under Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
Nov. 7, 2017 WI SB 54 Requires Department of Corrections to Revoke Parole under Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
Oct. 26, 2017 MA S 2200 Amends Various Criminal Justice Laws Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
Sept. 15, 2017 CA AJR 24 Recommends Congress Refrain from Concealed Carry Reciprocity Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
July 27, 2017 National HR 3364 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 2)
July 6, 2017 OR HB 2355 Reduces Criminal Charges for Drug Possession Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
June 28, 2017 PA SB 383 Authorizes Teachers to Carry Firearms on School Property Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
June 19, 2017 NY S 5512A Establishes Harsher Penalties for Bomb Threats Against Community Centers Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 0)
June 19, 2017 NJ S 3067 Prohibits Transgender Discrimination in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
June 15, 2017 RI S 237A Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Juveniles with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
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)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
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 LA HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/09 HB 168 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
3/09 HB 168 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
3/08 HB 3003 Amends Various Police 'Use of Force' Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
3/08 HB 3003 Amends Various Police 'Use of Force' Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
3/07 HB 1083 Authorizes Concealed Carry on Public Property Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18)
3/05 SB 7026 Establishes the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
3/02 S 1313 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
3/01 HB 2578 Establishes Source-of-Income Housing Non-Discrimination Policy Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
3/01 HB 1479 Amends Bail License Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10)
2/28 HB 1513 Authorizes Automatic Voter Pre-Registration for 16 and 17 Year Old Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
2/27 SB 5992 Prohibits Bump Stocks Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
2/27 HB 1359 Increases Penalties for Drug Dealers Connected to Overdose Deaths Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 9)
2/27 HB 4135 Authorizes Healthcare Providers to Make Decisions for End of Life Patients Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
2/27 HB 1359 Increases Penalties for Drug Dealers Connected to Overdose Deaths Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 9)
2/26 S 493 Authorizes Transgender Death Certificates Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/22 HB 4145 Prohibits Convicted Stalkers from Possessing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
2/22 SB 6052 Repeals Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
2/22 SB 6052 Repeals Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
2/15 S Amdt 1959 Secure and Succeed Act (Grassley Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (39 - 60)
2/15 S Amdt 1948 Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
2/15 S Amdt 1958 Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
2/15 S Amdt 1955 Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
2/09 SB 6298 Amends Definitions and Regulations for Domestic Violence Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
2/09 SB 6298 Amends Definitions and Regulations for Domestic Violence Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
1/25 SB 5992 Prohibits Bump Stocks Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
1/19 SB 5766 Requires School Districts to Adopt Transgender Student Policies and Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
1/18 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
1/18 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
1/18 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
1/03 HB 372 Amends Definition of Residency for Voting Purposes "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
11/08 SB 366 Authorizes 18-Year-Olds to Obtain Concealed Carry Permits Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
11/08 SB 586 Prohibits Localities from Placing Restrictions on Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
11/07 SB 54 Requires Department of Corrections to Revoke Parole under Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
11/07 SB 54 Requires Department of Corrections to Revoke Parole under Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
10/26 S 2200 Amends Various Criminal Justice Laws Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
9/15 AJR 24 Recommends Congress Refrain from Concealed Carry Reciprocity Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
7/27 HR 3364 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 2)
7/06 HB 2355 Reduces Criminal Charges for Drug Possession Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
6/28 SB 383 Authorizes Teachers to Carry Firearms on School Property Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
6/19 S 5512A Establishes Harsher Penalties for Bomb Threats Against Community Centers Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 0)
6/19 S 3067 Prohibits Transgender Discrimination in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
6/15 S 237A Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Juveniles with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
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)
5/31 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
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 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)

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