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 22, 2016 IA HF 2460 Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
April 21, 2016 IL HB 5576 Requires Health Insurance Plans to Cover Birth Control Bill Passed - House (61 - 52)
April 21, 2016 IL HB 5576 Requires Health Insurance Plans to Cover Birth Control Bill Passed - House (61 - 52)
April 20, 2016 IA HF 2460 Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services Bill Passed - House (56 - 42)
April 20, 2016 IA HF 2460 Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services Bill Passed - House (56 - 42)
April 18, 2016 LA SB 29 Authorizes the Sale of Raw Milk Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
April 14, 2016 MO HB 2069 Prohibits Donation of Fetal Tissue Bill Passed - House (120 - 34)
April 12, 2016 HI HB 2501 Authorizes Extension for Water Permits Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6)
April 6, 2016 TN SB 1556 Authorizes Therapists to Decline to Provide Services Bill Passed - House (68 - 22)
March 31, 2016 NH HB 1696 Amends Health Protection Program Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8)
March 31, 2016 MO HB 1786 Prohibits Powdered Alcohol Bill Passed - House (95 - 56)
March 30, 2016 MD SB 323 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - House (97 - 39)
March 30, 2016 AK SB 1 Prohibits Smoking in Public Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5)
March 23, 2016 ME LD 180 Authorizes Terminally Ill Patients to Use Experimental Treatments Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
March 23, 2016 MD SB 1159 Amends Baltimore Board of Liquor License Commissioners Appointment Regulations Bill Passed - House (90 - 46)
March 23, 2016 ID H 644 Establishes Health Clinic Grant Program Bill Passed - House (43 - 26)
March 15, 2016 KY HB 160 Establishes 1-for-1 Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
March 14, 2016 KY SB 205 Establishes Regulations for Nursing Home Advertisements Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
March 10, 2016 IN SB 165 Expands Medicaid Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
March 10, 2016 IN SB 165 Expands Medicaid Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 35)
March 10, 2016 CA SB 5 Amends Regulations for E-Cigarettes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
March 10, 2016 CA SB 7 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
March 9, 2016 MD SB 198 Prohibits Certain Pesticides Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
March 9, 2016 NH HB 1696 Amends Health Protection Program Bill Passed - House (216 - 145)
March 9, 2016 OK HB 2962 Requires Health Insurance Plans Cover Autism Treatment Bill Passed - House (76 - 20)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/22 HF 2460 Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
4/21 HB 5576 Requires Health Insurance Plans to Cover Birth Control Bill Passed - House (61 - 52)
4/21 HB 5576 Requires Health Insurance Plans to Cover Birth Control Bill Passed - House (61 - 52)
4/20 HF 2460 Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services Bill Passed - House (56 - 42)
4/20 HF 2460 Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services Bill Passed - House (56 - 42)
4/18 SB 29 Authorizes the Sale of Raw Milk Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
4/14 HB 2069 Prohibits Donation of Fetal Tissue Bill Passed - House (120 - 34)
4/12 HB 2501 Authorizes Extension for Water Permits Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6)
4/06 SB 1556 Authorizes Therapists to Decline to Provide Services Bill Passed - House (68 - 22)
3/31 HB 1696 Amends Health Protection Program Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8)
3/31 HB 1786 Prohibits Powdered Alcohol Bill Passed - House (95 - 56)
3/30 SB 323 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - House (97 - 39)
3/30 SB 1 Prohibits Smoking in Public Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5)
3/23 LD 180 Authorizes Terminally Ill Patients to Use Experimental Treatments Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
3/23 SB 1159 Amends Baltimore Board of Liquor License Commissioners Appointment Regulations Bill Passed - House (90 - 46)
3/23 H 644 Establishes Health Clinic Grant Program Bill Passed - House (43 - 26)
3/15 HB 160 Establishes 1-for-1 Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
3/14 SB 205 Establishes Regulations for Nursing Home Advertisements Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
3/10 SB 165 Expands Medicaid Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
3/10 SB 165 Expands Medicaid Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 35)
3/10 SB 5 Amends Regulations for E-Cigarettes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
3/10 SB 7 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
3/09 SB 198 Prohibits Certain Pesticides Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
3/09 HB 1696 Amends Health Protection Program Bill Passed - House (216 - 145)
3/09 HB 2962 Requires Health Insurance Plans Cover Autism Treatment Bill Passed - House (76 - 20)

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