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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 21, 2020 | PA | HB 2388 | Establishes Exemption Waivers for Business Closures Due to COVID-19 | Bill Passed - House (113 - 89) |
| April 21, 2020 | PA | HB 1822 | Extends Workplace Protections Related to COVID-19 | Bill Passed - House (105 - 97) |
| March 28, 2020 | AK | SB 241 | Appropriates Emergency Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Relief | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 1) |
| March 26, 2020 | KY | SB 150 | Establishes Emergency Response to COVID-19 Coronavirus | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 0) |
| March 25, 2020 | PA | SB 751 | Authorizes Financial Assistance for Schools Amid COVID-19-Related Shutdown | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (50 - 0) |
| March 25, 2020 | PA | HB 68 | Establishes a System of Unemployment Compensation in Response to the COVID-19 Emergency | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0) |
| March 22, 2020 | AK | HB 308 | Establishes Relief for Employees Affected by COVID-19 Coronavirus | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 0) |
| March 18, 2020 | MD | HB 1663 | Establishes the "COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Protection Act of 2020" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (131 - 3) |
| March 18, 2020 | MS | HB 1647 | Authorizes Local Governments and School Districts to Grant Administrative Leave with Pay In Case of Emergency | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| March 18, 2020 | NY | S 8091 | Establishes Paid Sick Leave for Employees Affected by the COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 6) |
| March 17, 2020 | KS | SB 27 | Authorizes 26 Weeks of Unemployment Insurance Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| March 17, 2020 | MD | HB 14 | Prohibits Employers From Retaliating Against Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| March 17, 2020 | ID | S 1428 | Appropriates Funds for the State Advanced Paid/Sick Administrative Leave Program | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| March 16, 2020 | NJ | A 3847 | Amends Paid Leave Laws for Local Government Employees Who Test Positive for COVID-19 | Bill Passed - House (56 - 4) |
| March 16, 2020 | MD | HB 123 | Prohibits Employers from Asking About Wage History | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| March 13, 2020 | MD | HB 123 | Prohibits Employers from Asking About Wage History | Bill Passed - House (98 - 36) |
| March 12, 2020 | FL | SB 664 | Requires Government Agencies Use E-Verify Immigration Check for Employment | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| March 12, 2020 | NH | HB 712 | Establishes a System of Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| March 12, 2020 | MS | SB 2522 | Requires Employers to Pay Employees the Same Wage Regardless of Sex | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| March 11, 2020 | FL | SB 664 | Requires Government Agencies Use E-Verify Immigration Check for Employment | Bill Passed - House (73 - 45) |
| March 9, 2020 | MS | SB 2112 | Prohibits Public Employers from Requiring Applicants to Disclose Felony Convictions on Application | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 17) |
| March 7, 2020 | VA | HB 395 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45) |
| March 5, 2020 | SD | SB 186 | Establishes Paid Family Leave Policies for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) |
| March 5, 2020 | WA | HB 2614 | Amends the Paid Family Medical Leave Program for Union Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| March 5, 2020 | WA | HB 2614 | Amends the Paid Family Medical Leave Program for Union Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| March 5, 2020 | MN | HF 5 | Establishes Family and Medical Leave | Bill Passed - House (70 - 59) |
| March 5, 2020 | National | HR 1140 | Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act | Bill Passed - House (230 - 171) |
| March 4, 2020 | WA | SB 6205 | Prohibits Harassment, Abuse, and Discrimination Towards Long-Term Care Workers | Bill Passed - House (74 - 23) |
| March 4, 2020 | CO | HB 20-1044 | Amends the State Pension Plan for Firefighters and Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| March 3, 2020 | WA | SB 6037 | Requires Public Companies to have a Gender-Diverse Board of Directors | Bill Passed - House (56 - 40) |
| March 3, 2020 | SD | SB 147 | Prohibits Collective Bargaining by Certain University Employees | Bill Passed - House (47 - 19) |
| March 3, 2020 | WA | SB 6261 | Expands Farm Labor Contractor System | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| March 3, 2020 | SD | SB 147 | Prohibits Collective Bargaining by Certain University Employees | Bill Passed - House (47 - 19) |
| March 3, 2020 | HI | HB 2541 | Increases the State Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 2) |
| Feb. 28, 2020 | CO | HB 20-1048 | Establishes the CROWN Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Feb. 28, 2020 | MD | HB 14 | Prohibits Employers From Retaliating Against Employees | Bill Passed - House (99 - 37) |
| Feb. 27, 2020 | MO | HB 1559 | Authorizes for State Minimum Wage Exemption for Private School Employees | Bill Passed - House (94 - 53) |
| Feb. 25, 2020 | SD | SB 147 | Prohibits Collective Bargaining by Certain University Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| Feb. 25, 2020 | SD | SB 147 | Prohibits Collective Bargaining by Certain University Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| Feb. 21, 2020 | ID | S 1318 | Prohibits Employment Discrimination Based On Criminal History Background | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 20, 2020 | NM | HB 21 | Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements in Sexual Harassment Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Feb. 20, 2020 | VT | H 568 | Repeals Prohibitions on Sex Work | Bill Passed - House (126 - 19) |
| Feb. 19, 2020 | NM | HB 364 | Expands Bargaining Rights of Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2020 | NM | HB 364 | Expands Bargaining Rights of Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2020 | CO | HB 20-1044 | Amends the State Pension Plan for Firefighters and Police Officers | Bill Passed - House (42 - 21) |
| Feb. 18, 2020 | CO | HB 20-1153 | Authorizes the State Employee's Union to Collectively Bargain with the State | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| Feb. 18, 2020 | NM | HB 364 | Expands Bargaining Rights of Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (43 - 25) |
| Feb. 18, 2020 | NM | HB 364 | Expands Bargaining Rights of Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (43 - 25) |
| Feb. 18, 2020 | WA | SB 6261 | Expands Farm Labor Contractor System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 13, 2020 | WA | HB 2614 | Amends the Paid Family Medical Leave Program for Union Employees | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
| Feb. 13, 2020 | WA | HB 2614 | Amends the Paid Family Medical Leave Program for Union Employees | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
| Feb. 12, 2020 | OH | HB 308 | Establishes Workers' Compensation for First Responders with PTSD | Bill Passed - House (74 - 22) |
| Feb. 12, 2020 | AZ | SB 1160 | Increases Cancer Coverage for Firefighters | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4) |
| Feb. 11, 2020 | CO | HB 20-1048 | Establishes the CROWN Act | Bill Passed - House (42 - 21) |
| Feb. 11, 2020 | VA | SB 481 | Requires Sick Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 6, 2020 | VA | HB 827 | Prohibits Discrimination on the Basis of Pregnancy | Bill Passed - House (66 - 31) |
| Feb. 6, 2020 | VA | HB 582 | Amends State Collective Bargaining Laws Relating to Right to Work Protections | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| Feb. 6, 2020 | National | HR 2474 | Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (224 - 194) |
| Feb. 6, 2020 | National | HR 2474 | Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (224 - 194) |
| Feb. 5, 2020 | RI | S 2147 | Increases the State Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
| Feb. 4, 2020 | IN | SB 342 | Establishes Reasonable Accommodations for Pregnant Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| Jan. 31, 2020 | KY | HB 168 | Requires Legislative Ethics Commission to Review Sexual Harassment Complaints | Bill Passed - House (85 - 0) |
| Jan. 24, 2020 | WA | SB 6037 | Requires Public Companies to have a Gender-Diverse Board of Directors | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| Jan. 23, 2020 | CA | AB 323 | Establishes the Save Local Journalism Act | Bill Passed - House (77 - 0) |
| Jan. 15, 2020 | National | HR 1230 | Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act | Bill Passed - House (261 - 155) |
| Jan. 8, 2020 | NH | HB 506 | Authorizes Employees Time to Vote | Bill Passed - House (186 - 173) |
| Dec. 18, 2019 | PA | HB 1477 | Authorizes Professional Licenses for Ex-Convicts | Bill Passed - House (193 - 4) |
| Dec. 11, 2019 | National | HR 5038 | Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 165) |
| Nov. 25, 2019 | NJ | S 761 | Establishes Inmate Re-Entry Plans | Bill Passed - House (55 - 16) |
| Nov. 21, 2019 | National | HR 1309 | Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act | Bill Passed - House (251 - 158) |
| Nov. 13, 2019 | IL | SB 1784 | Amends Labor Union Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (45 - 9) |
| Oct. 29, 2019 | IL | SB 1784 | Amends Labor Union Regulations | Bill Passed - House (93 - 23) |
| Oct. 18, 2019 | National | HR 3624 | Outsourcing Accountability Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (226 - 184) |
| Sept. 26, 2019 | National | PN 1099 | Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor | (53 - 44) |
| Sept. 25, 2019 | National | PN 1099 | Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor | Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 42) |