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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 5, 2017 | CA | AB 841 | Restricts Marketing of Unhealthy Foods in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| July 3, 2017 | OR | SB 558 | Expands Health Care Coverage for Children | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| June 30, 2017 | WA | SB 5975 | Establishes Paid Family Leave Insurance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| May 30, 2017 | CA | SB 328 | Amends School Start Time | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| May 2, 2017 | NE | LB 427 | Requires Schools to Accommodate Pregnant and Parenting Students | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| April 26, 2017 | LA | SB 16 | Provides Parole Eligibility to Juveniles Sentenced to Life in Prison | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| April 11, 2017 | TX | SB 75 | Requires Parental Consent for Minors to Join Labor Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| April 11, 2017 | TX | SB 75 | Requires Parental Consent for Minors to Join Labor Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| April 8, 2017 | WV | HB 2002 | Amends Notification Requirements for Abortions Performed on Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| March 21, 2017 | TX | SB 25 | Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| March 13, 2017 | NJ | A 3091 | Prohibits Marriage for Individuals Under 18 | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| March 13, 2017 | NJ | A 3091 | Prohibits Marriage for Individuals Under 18 | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| March 9, 2017 | UT | HB 99 | Amends Bigamy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| March 9, 2017 | NM | SB 374 | Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| Feb. 22, 2017 | SD | SB 149 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Feb. 22, 2017 | SD | SB 149 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Jan. 19, 2017 | MT | SB 26 | Reduces Penalty for Non-Violent Sexual Assault | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12) |
| Jan. 19, 2017 | MT | SB 22 | Authorizes Termination of Parental Rights in Cases of Sexual Assault | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0) |
| Jan. 19, 2017 | MT | SB 22 | Authorizes Termination of Parental Rights in Cases of Sexual Assault | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0) |
| Jan. 10, 2017 | ND | SB 2043 | Amends Marriage Definition and Terminology | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 31) |
| May 4, 2016 | LA | SB 127 | Authorizes Parole Hearings for Juveniles Serving Life Terms | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| March 15, 2016 | AL | SB 143 | Amends Marriage License Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 3) |
| March 14, 2016 | GA | HB 555 | Establishes Regulations Regarding Records of Juvenile Petitions for Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17) |
| March 8, 2016 | HI | SB 2615 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 2) |
| March 7, 2016 | UT | SB 179 | Authorizes State to Enforce Payment of Child Support | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| Feb. 23, 2016 | FL | SB 250 | Requires Legal Presumption of Equal Time-Sharing for Parental Custody | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2016 | KY | SB 5 | Establishes Separate Marriage License for Same-Sex Couples | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8) |
| Feb. 17, 2016 | NM | HB 138 | Authorizes Certain Minors to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Feb. 12, 2016 | VA | SB 41 | Prohibits State from Requiring Religious Organizations to Solemnize Certain Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| July 1, 2015 | OR | SB 478 | Requires Manufacturers to Disclose Certain Chemicals Used in Children's Products | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| June 29, 2015 | CA | SB 277 | Amends School Immunization Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| June 10, 2015 | MI | HB 4188 | Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Deny Services for Religious Reasons | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| June 3, 2015 | CA | SB 548 | Authorizes Child Care Workers to Form Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| June 2, 2015 | CT | HB 6949 | Expands Requirements for Vaccine Exemptions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| June 2, 2015 | CA | SB 124 | Limits the Use of Solitary Confinement for Juveniles | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| June 1, 2015 | NC | SB 2 | Authorizes Officials to Not Perform Certain Marriage Duties | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| May 29, 2015 | IL | HB 217 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19) |
| May 26, 2015 | TX | HB 3994 | Amends Requirements for Minors Seeking Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| May 19, 2015 | AL | SB 377 | Requires Marrying Couples to Sign a Marriage Contract | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3) |
| May 16, 2015 | NV | AB 193 | Authorizes a Court of Law to Admit Hearsay as Evidence | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
| May 14, 2015 | CA | SB 277 | Amends School Immunization Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| May 12, 2015 | TX | SB 2065 | Authorizes Religious Organizations to Decline to Perform Marriage Services | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| May 7, 2015 | OR | HB 2307 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| April 16, 2015 | ND | SB 2151 | Appropriates Funds for Early Childhood Education Grants | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| April 14, 2015 | FL | HB 7013 | Amends Child Adoption Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| April 7, 2015 | IN | HB 1432 | Establishes E-Liquid Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| March 24, 2015 | IA | SF 232 | Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 17, 2015 | IA | SF 334 | Prohibits Sexual-Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| March 12, 2015 | UT | SB 297 | Authorizes Certain Government Employees to Decline to Perform Marriage Services | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 3) |
| March 9, 2015 | UT | SB 297 | Authorizes Certain Government Employees to Decline to Perform Marriage Services | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |