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
April 10, 2019 NC SB 250 Amends Voting Rolls to Correlate with Jury Selection Excusals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
April 10, 2019 CO HB 19-1266 Authorizes Voting Rights to Paroled Felons Bill Passed - House (45 - 19)
April 9, 2019 OR SB 870 Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
April 9, 2019 OR SB 870 Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
April 5, 2019 AR SB 411 Prohibits Local Government from Adopting "Sanctuary Policies" Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
April 4, 2019 KS SB 16 Appropriates Additional $90 Million for Public Education Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 47)
April 3, 2019 SC H 3438 Establishes State Department of Veterans Affairs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (81 - 29)
April 3, 2019 ID H 296 Amends Ballot Initiative Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
April 3, 2019 IL HB 2988 Prohibits Townships from Regulating Wind Farms Outside of City Zoning Areas Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
April 3, 2019 AZ SB 1091 Increases State Rainy-Day Fund by 10 Percent Bill Passed - House (31 - 29)
April 3, 2019 NC HB 370 Requires Sheriffs to Cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers Bill Passed - House (63 - 51)
March 29, 2019 ID S 1159 Increases Threshold for Ballot Initiative Requirements Bill Passed - House (40 - 30)
March 29, 2019 ND HB 1381 Prohibits Government Funded Gun Buyback Programs Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
March 29, 2019 ID H 296 Amends Ballot Initiative Requirements Bill Passed - House (47 - 22)
March 28, 2019 GA SB 131 Expands State Control over the Atlanta Airport Bill Passed - House (104 - 70)
March 28, 2019 NH SB 156 Establishes Limits to Election Contributions by Limited Liability Corporations (13 - 11)
March 28, 2019 NH SB 67 Amends Definition of Resident and Residency "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
March 28, 2019 IL HB 836 Authorizes Temporary Guardians for Children Whose Parents Have Been Detained or Deported by ICE Bill Passed - House (89 - 19)
March 27, 2019 IL HB 2988 Prohibits Townships from Regulating Wind Farms Outside of City Zoning Areas Bill Passed - House (95 - 12)
March 26, 2019 National H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Veto Override Failed - House (248 - 181)
March 26, 2019 ID H 270 Authorizes Public Schools as Election Polling Sites Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
March 25, 2019 TN HB 1021 Prohibits Local Governments from Regulating, Restricting, or Banning Auxiliary Containers Bill Passed - House (69 - 21)
March 25, 2019 TN SB 431 Prohibits Local Governments from Regulating, Restricting, or Taxing Auxiliary Containers Bill Passed - House (69 - 21)
March 22, 2019 ID S 1159 Increases Threshold for Ballot Initiative Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
March 19, 2019 DE HB 38 Amends Early Voting Regulations Bill Passed - House (34 - 6)
March 18, 2019 AZ SB 1072 Requires Identification for Early Voting Bill Passed - House (31 - 27)
March 18, 2019 CA AJR 5 Urges the Federal Government to Pass Universal Firearm Safety Regulation Bill Passed - House (54 - 21)
March 15, 2019 NM HB 100 Amends the Columbus Day Holiday to Indigenous Peoples' Day Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
March 14, 2019 UT HB 119 Increases Ballot Initiative Voter Referendum Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 12)
March 14, 2019 UT HB 119 Increases Ballot Initiative Voter Referendum Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 12)
March 14, 2019 National H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41)
March 14, 2019 DE SB 22 Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (24 - 17)
March 14, 2019 NH SB 311 Amends Annulment Laws for Certain Drug Possession Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8)
March 14, 2019 National H Con Res 24 Expressing the sense of Congress that the report of Special Counsel Mueller should be made available to the public and to Congress. Bill Passed - House (420 - 0)
March 14, 2019 TN HB 658 Repeals City Police Oversight Board Subpoena Power Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
March 13, 2019 UT HB 145 Amends Initiative and Referendum Provisions and Nomination Petition Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 21)
March 13, 2019 UT HB 145 Amends Initiative and Referendum Provisions and Nomination Petition Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 21)
March 13, 2019 WA SB 5822 Establishes a Work Group to Study Universal Health Care Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
March 12, 2019 NM HB 55 Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 16)
March 12, 2019 WA SB 5078 Requires Presidential and VP Candidates Release 5 Years of Tax Returns Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
March 12, 2019 NC SB 214 Exempts Upcoming 2019 Election from Photo ID Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
March 12, 2019 IA SF 237 Amends Judicial Commission Selection Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
March 11, 2019 MS SB 2770 Increases Public School Teacher Salaries Bill Passed - House (112 - 2)
March 9, 2019 WV SB 622 Increases Election and Campaign Contribution Limits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 42)
March 9, 2019 WV SB 622 Increases Election and Campaign Contribution Limits Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
March 8, 2019 National HR 1 For the People Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (234 - 193)
March 7, 2019 ME LD 477 Appropriates Relief to Federal Employees Affected by Federal Shutdown Bill Passed - House (92 - 46)
March 7, 2019 NH HB 611 Increases Access to Absentee Voting "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (198 - 163)
March 7, 2019 DE SB 22 Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
March 7, 2019 MN HF 13 Authorizes a 2020 Ballot Measure to Include an Equal Rights Amendment to the State's Constitution Bill Passed - House (72 - 55)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/10 SB 250 Amends Voting Rolls to Correlate with Jury Selection Excusals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
4/10 HB 19-1266 Authorizes Voting Rights to Paroled Felons Bill Passed - House (45 - 19)
4/09 SB 870 Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
4/09 SB 870 Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
4/05 SB 411 Prohibits Local Government from Adopting "Sanctuary Policies" Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
4/04 SB 16 Appropriates Additional $90 Million for Public Education Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 47)
4/03 H 3438 Establishes State Department of Veterans Affairs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (81 - 29)
4/03 H 296 Amends Ballot Initiative Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
4/03 HB 2988 Prohibits Townships from Regulating Wind Farms Outside of City Zoning Areas Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
4/03 SB 1091 Increases State Rainy-Day Fund by 10 Percent Bill Passed - House (31 - 29)
4/03 HB 370 Requires Sheriffs to Cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers Bill Passed - House (63 - 51)
3/29 S 1159 Increases Threshold for Ballot Initiative Requirements Bill Passed - House (40 - 30)
3/29 HB 1381 Prohibits Government Funded Gun Buyback Programs Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
3/29 H 296 Amends Ballot Initiative Requirements Bill Passed - House (47 - 22)
3/28 SB 131 Expands State Control over the Atlanta Airport Bill Passed - House (104 - 70)
3/28 SB 156 Establishes Limits to Election Contributions by Limited Liability Corporations (13 - 11)
3/28 SB 67 Amends Definition of Resident and Residency "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
3/28 HB 836 Authorizes Temporary Guardians for Children Whose Parents Have Been Detained or Deported by ICE Bill Passed - House (89 - 19)
3/27 HB 2988 Prohibits Townships from Regulating Wind Farms Outside of City Zoning Areas Bill Passed - House (95 - 12)
3/26 H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Veto Override Failed - House (248 - 181)
3/26 H 270 Authorizes Public Schools as Election Polling Sites Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
3/25 HB 1021 Prohibits Local Governments from Regulating, Restricting, or Banning Auxiliary Containers Bill Passed - House (69 - 21)
3/25 SB 431 Prohibits Local Governments from Regulating, Restricting, or Taxing Auxiliary Containers Bill Passed - House (69 - 21)
3/22 S 1159 Increases Threshold for Ballot Initiative Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
3/19 HB 38 Amends Early Voting Regulations Bill Passed - House (34 - 6)
3/18 SB 1072 Requires Identification for Early Voting Bill Passed - House (31 - 27)
3/18 AJR 5 Urges the Federal Government to Pass Universal Firearm Safety Regulation Bill Passed - House (54 - 21)
3/15 HB 100 Amends the Columbus Day Holiday to Indigenous Peoples' Day Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
3/14 HB 119 Increases Ballot Initiative Voter Referendum Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 12)
3/14 HB 119 Increases Ballot Initiative Voter Referendum Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 12)
3/14 H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41)
3/14 SB 22 Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (24 - 17)
3/14 SB 311 Amends Annulment Laws for Certain Drug Possession Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8)
3/14 H Con Res 24 Expressing the sense of Congress that the report of Special Counsel Mueller should be made available to the public and to Congress. Bill Passed - House (420 - 0)
3/14 HB 658 Repeals City Police Oversight Board Subpoena Power Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
3/13 HB 145 Amends Initiative and Referendum Provisions and Nomination Petition Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 21)
3/13 HB 145 Amends Initiative and Referendum Provisions and Nomination Petition Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 21)
3/13 SB 5822 Establishes a Work Group to Study Universal Health Care Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
3/12 HB 55 Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 16)
3/12 SB 5078 Requires Presidential and VP Candidates Release 5 Years of Tax Returns Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
3/12 SB 214 Exempts Upcoming 2019 Election from Photo ID Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
3/12 SF 237 Amends Judicial Commission Selection Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
3/11 SB 2770 Increases Public School Teacher Salaries Bill Passed - House (112 - 2)
3/09 SB 622 Increases Election and Campaign Contribution Limits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 42)
3/09 SB 622 Increases Election and Campaign Contribution Limits Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
3/08 HR 1 For the People Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (234 - 193)
3/07 LD 477 Appropriates Relief to Federal Employees Affected by Federal Shutdown Bill Passed - House (92 - 46)
3/07 HB 611 Increases Access to Absentee Voting "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (198 - 163)
3/07 SB 22 Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
3/07 HF 13 Authorizes a 2020 Ballot Measure to Include an Equal Rights Amendment to the State's Constitution Bill Passed - House (72 - 55)

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