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
Feb. 4, 2020 IN SB 449 Reduces the Age at Which Juveniles Can be Sent to Jail Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
Feb. 4, 2020 IN SB 342 Establishes Reasonable Accommodations for Pregnant Workers Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
Jan. 16, 2020 MA H 4218 Requires School Districts Offer Breakfast After Instruction Begins Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
Jan. 15, 2020 WV HB 3039 Increases Court Discretion When Determining Child Custody Bill Passed - House (87 - 11)
Jan. 9, 2020 NH HB 377 Amends Child Protection Laws to Establish a Study on the Best Interest of the Child "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (255 - 115)
Jan. 8, 2020 NH HB 201 Increases the Penalty for Sexual Contact with Human Trafficking Victims Under 18 Bill Passed - House (316 - 55)
Nov. 5, 2019 WI SB 49 Prohibits Prostitution Charges Against Minors Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
Sept. 4, 2019 CA AB 175 Amends Foster Care Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
July 31, 2019 NC SB 199 Extends Statute of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse Bill Passed - House (92 - 15)
June 27, 2019 DE HB 79 Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6)
June 20, 2019 DE HB 79 Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water Bill Passed - House (28 - 11)
June 19, 2019 ME LD 1028 Increases Taxes on Tobacco Products Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
June 19, 2019 ME LD 1028 Increases Taxes on Tobacco Products Bill Passed - House (86 - 49)
June 18, 2019 NY S 4203 Authorizes Foster Care Adoptees to Have Contact with Their Parents Bill Passed - House (99 - 49)
June 18, 2019 WI AB 110 Requires State Published Dyslexia Guidebooks in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (76 - 21)
June 14, 2019 NY S 4203 Authorizes Foster Care Adoptees to Have Contact with Their Parents Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 16)
June 11, 2019 NY S 2071 Repeals Prohibitions on Surrogacy and In Vitro Fertilization Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21)
June 4, 2019 National HR 6 American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (237 - 187)
June 2, 2019 LA SB 172 Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - House (67 - 28)
June 2, 2019 LA SB 172 Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - House (67 - 28)
May 31, 2019 CT SB 1 Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill Passed - House (79 - 69)
May 30, 2019 IL HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 22)
May 30, 2019 NH HB 651 Authorizes the Use of Campaign Funds for Child Care Expenses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 9)
May 29, 2019 IL HB 2276 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 10)
May 24, 2019 NE LB 149 Increases State Smoking Age Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 0)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/04 SB 449 Reduces the Age at Which Juveniles Can be Sent to Jail Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
2/04 SB 342 Establishes Reasonable Accommodations for Pregnant Workers Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
1/16 H 4218 Requires School Districts Offer Breakfast After Instruction Begins Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
1/15 HB 3039 Increases Court Discretion When Determining Child Custody Bill Passed - House (87 - 11)
1/09 HB 377 Amends Child Protection Laws to Establish a Study on the Best Interest of the Child "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (255 - 115)
1/08 HB 201 Increases the Penalty for Sexual Contact with Human Trafficking Victims Under 18 Bill Passed - House (316 - 55)
11/05 SB 49 Prohibits Prostitution Charges Against Minors Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
9/04 AB 175 Amends Foster Care Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
7/31 SB 199 Extends Statute of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse Bill Passed - House (92 - 15)
6/27 HB 79 Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6)
6/20 HB 79 Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water Bill Passed - House (28 - 11)
6/19 LD 1028 Increases Taxes on Tobacco Products Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
6/19 LD 1028 Increases Taxes on Tobacco Products Bill Passed - House (86 - 49)
6/18 S 4203 Authorizes Foster Care Adoptees to Have Contact with Their Parents Bill Passed - House (99 - 49)
6/18 AB 110 Requires State Published Dyslexia Guidebooks in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (76 - 21)
6/14 S 4203 Authorizes Foster Care Adoptees to Have Contact with Their Parents Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 16)
6/11 S 2071 Repeals Prohibitions on Surrogacy and In Vitro Fertilization Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21)
6/04 HR 6 American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (237 - 187)
6/02 SB 172 Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - House (67 - 28)
6/02 SB 172 Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - House (67 - 28)
5/31 SB 1 Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill Passed - House (79 - 69)
5/30 HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 22)
5/30 HB 651 Authorizes the Use of Campaign Funds for Child Care Expenses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 9)
5/29 HB 2276 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 10)
5/24 LB 149 Increases State Smoking Age Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 0)

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