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. 9, 2016 VA SB 705 Requires Sanctuary Cities to be Liable for Damages Caused by Undocumented Immigrant Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Feb. 4, 2016 MO SJR 19 Amends Membership Composition of the Conservation Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Feb. 4, 2016 MO SJR 19 Amends Membership Composition of the Conservation Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Feb. 1, 2016 VA SB 106 Authorizes No-Excuse In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Jan. 26, 2016 VA SJ 1 Authorizes Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Jan. 25, 2016 MO SCR 46 Prohibits a Wage Range Increase for Personal Care Attendants Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
Jan. 21, 2016 National S J Res 22 A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of the Rule Submitted by the Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to the Definition of "Waters of the United States" Under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 40)
Jan. 21, 2016 NH SB 4 Requires an Individual to Live in the State for 30 Days to be Eligible to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 11)
Jan. 19, 2016 National PN 367 Nomination of Wilhelmina Wright to Be U.S. District Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 36)
Jan. 19, 2016 KY SB 10 Requires Gubernatorial Elections to be Held on Even-Numbered Years Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
Jan. 12, 2016 National S 2232 Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44)
Dec. 16, 2015 MI SB 571 Amends Ballot Advertising Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Oct. 27, 2015 National S 754 Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 21)
Aug. 17, 2015 CA AB 1100 Increases Ballot Initiative Fee Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 27, 2015 OH HB 153 Amends Date of Presidential Primary Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
May 12, 2015 NV SB 421 Amends Primary Elections Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9)
May 11, 2015 MN SF 455 Amends Elections Laws Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 28)
May 5, 2015 MI SB 133 2015-2016 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
May 4, 2015 TX HB 40 Specifies That The State Will Regulate Oil and Gas Operations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
April 27, 2015 IN SB 466 Amends Voting Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
April 23, 2015 National PN 4 Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
April 23, 2015 MN SF 878 Authorizes Gun Silencers and Expands Ex-Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22)
April 22, 2015 ND SB 2304 Appropriates Funds for New Governor's Residence Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 19)
April 14, 2015 PA SB 333 Prohibits Local Paid Leave Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
April 8, 2015 MO HB 63 Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/09 SB 705 Requires Sanctuary Cities to be Liable for Damages Caused by Undocumented Immigrant Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
2/04 SJR 19 Amends Membership Composition of the Conservation Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
2/04 SJR 19 Amends Membership Composition of the Conservation Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
2/01 SB 106 Authorizes No-Excuse In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
1/26 SJ 1 Authorizes Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
1/25 SCR 46 Prohibits a Wage Range Increase for Personal Care Attendants Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
1/21 S J Res 22 A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of the Rule Submitted by the Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to the Definition of "Waters of the United States" Under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 40)
1/21 SB 4 Requires an Individual to Live in the State for 30 Days to be Eligible to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 11)
1/19 PN 367 Nomination of Wilhelmina Wright to Be U.S. District Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 36)
1/19 SB 10 Requires Gubernatorial Elections to be Held on Even-Numbered Years Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
1/12 S 2232 Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44)
12/16 SB 571 Amends Ballot Advertising Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
10/27 S 754 Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 21)
8/17 AB 1100 Increases Ballot Initiative Fee Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/27 HB 153 Amends Date of Presidential Primary Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
5/12 SB 421 Amends Primary Elections Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9)
5/11 SF 455 Amends Elections Laws Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 28)
5/05 SB 133 2015-2016 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
5/04 HB 40 Specifies That The State Will Regulate Oil and Gas Operations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
4/27 SB 466 Amends Voting Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
4/23 PN 4 Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
4/23 SF 878 Authorizes Gun Silencers and Expands Ex-Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22)
4/22 SB 2304 Appropriates Funds for New Governor's Residence Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 19)
4/14 SB 333 Prohibits Local Paid Leave Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
4/08 HB 63 Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9)

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