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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 6, 2020 | VA | HB 262 | Prohibits Law Enforcement Questioning of an Individual's Immigration Status | Bill Passed - House (57 - 42) |
| Dec. 11, 2019 | National | HR 5038 | Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 165) |
| Sept. 26, 2019 | National | HR 3525 | US Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act | Bill Passed - House (230 - 184) |
| Sept. 25, 2019 | National | HR 2203 | Homeland Security Improvement Act | Bill Passed - House (230 - 194) |
| Sept. 9, 2019 | CA | AB 1282 | Prohibits Prisons from Working with ICE Contractors | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 16) |
| July 25, 2019 | National | HR 549 | Venezuela TPS Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (272 - 158) |
| July 24, 2019 | National | HR 3239 | Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act | Bill Passed - House (233 - 195) |
| July 16, 2019 | National | H Res 489 | Condemning President Trump's Racist Comments Directed at Members of Congress | Bill Passed - House (240 - 187) |
| June 27, 2019 | National | HR 3401 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (305 - 102) |
| June 26, 2019 | NC | HB 135 | Prohibits "Sanctuary" Cities | Bill Passed - House (65 - 52) |
| June 25, 2019 | National | HR 3401 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 | Bill Passed - House (230 - 195) |
| June 18, 2019 | OR | HB 2015 | Authorizes Driver Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| June 12, 2019 | NY | A 3675 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (87 - 61) |
| June 5, 2019 | OH | HB 80 | Amends Specific Sections of Ohio's Worker's Compensation Law | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| June 4, 2019 | National | HR 6 | American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 187) |
| May 30, 2019 | CT | SB 992 | Limits Cooperation Between Local Law Enforcement and Federal Immigration Agencies | Bill Passed - House (79 - 61) |
| May 28, 2019 | CA | AB 4 | Authorizes Medi-Cal Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| May 27, 2019 | IL | HB 1637 | Establishes the Keep Illinois Families Together Act | Bill Passed - House (67 - 50) |
| May 24, 2019 | CA | AB 1593 | Authorizes Certain Tax Breaks for Undocumented Families | Bill Passed - House (55 - 18) |
| May 23, 2019 | TX | HB 888 | Increases Penalties for Misrepresenting a Child's Identify at a Port of Entry | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 43) |
| May 23, 2019 | IL | SB 1610 | Amends Immigrant Deportation Regulations | Bill Passed - House (84 - 32) |
| May 22, 2019 | CA | AB 163 | Requires State Oversight of Unaccompanied Undocumented Minors | Bill Passed - House (60 - 5) |
| May 2, 2019 | FL | SB 168 | Prohibits State Sanctuary City Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 45) |
| April 27, 2019 | CO | SB 19-030 | Authorizes a Remedy for Improperly Entered Guilty Pleas | Bill Passed - House (42 - 19) |
| April 24, 2019 | FL | HB 527 | Prohibits Cities from Enacting "Sanctuary" Policies | Bill Passed - House (69 - 47) |
| April 23, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1124 | Prohibits Local Law Enforcement from Helping to Enforce Federal Civil Immigration Laws | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| April 12, 2019 | WA | SB 5497 | Establishes Washington as a Sanctuary State | Bill Passed - House (57 - 38) |
| April 11, 2019 | CO | SB 19-139 | Authorizes Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (42 - 22) |
| April 11, 2019 | IL | HB 2691 | Authorizes Tuition Assistance to Transgender and Undocumented Immigrant Students | Bill Passed - House (66 - 47) |
| April 10, 2019 | AR | SB 411 | Prohibits Local Government from Adopting "Sanctuary Policies" | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
| April 10, 2019 | IL | HB 2040 | Prohibits Private Prisons and Civil Detention Centers | Bill Passed - House (85 - 26) |
| April 5, 2019 | AR | HB 1684 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for DACA Students | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 19) |
| April 3, 2019 | NC | HB 370 | Requires Sheriffs to Cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers | Bill Passed - House (63 - 51) |
| March 28, 2019 | IL | HB 1553 | Authorizes Certain Kinds of Visas for Undocumented Children that are Victims of Abuse, Neglect, or Abandonment | Bill Passed - House (87 - 18) |
| 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 20, 2019 | NH | HB 397 | Authorizes Undocumented Individuals to get Driver's Licenses | Bill Passed - House (204 - 137) |
| Feb. 19, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1148 | Reduces Maximum Criminal Penalty for Certain Crimes to 364 Days | Bill Passed - House (41 - 21) |
| Feb. 12, 2019 | MT | HB 146 | Prohibits Cities from Passing Sanctuary Laws | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| Jan. 14, 2019 | NY | S 1250 | Expands Aid For Higher Education to Undocumented Children | Bill Passed - House (97 - 42) |
| June 27, 2018 | National | HR 6136 | Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018 | Bill Failed - House (121 - 301) |
| June 21, 2018 | National | HR 4760 | Securing America's Future Act of 2018 | Bill Failed - House (193 - 231) |
| June 21, 2018 | NJ | ACR 180 | Recommends Congressional Support for Keep Families Together Act | Bill Passed - House (60 - 4) |
| May 30, 2018 | CA | AB 2965 | Authorizes Medicaid Benefits for Undocumented Children | Bill Passed - House (47 - 25) |
| April 25, 2018 | CT | SB 4 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Bill Passed - House (91 - 59) |
| April 25, 2018 | TN | HB 2315 | Prohibits Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - House (64 - 23) |
| April 12, 2018 | NJ | S 699 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Bill Passed - House (49 - 24) |
| April 3, 2018 | IA | SF 481 | Requires Law Enforcement for Comply with ICE Detainer Requests | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
| March 3, 2018 | OR | HB 4111 | Authorizes DMV to Renew and Replace Limited-Term Driver's Licenses for DACA Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 22) |
| March 3, 2018 | OR | SB 1563 | Authorizes Undocumented Students to Continue Receiving Financial Aid | Bill Passed - House (36 - 22) |
| Feb. 22, 2018 | MI | HB 4053 | Establishes English as Official Language | Bill Passed - House (62 - 46) |
| Feb. 13, 2018 | VA | HB 1257 | Prohibits the Establishment of Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| Jan. 12, 2018 | FL | HB 9 | Prohibits Local Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - House (71 - 35) |
| Sept. 15, 2017 | CA | SB 54 | Establishes a Statewide Sanctuary Policy | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| Sept. 14, 2017 | National | HR 3697 | Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act | Bill Passed - House (233 - 175) |
| Sept. 11, 2017 | CA | AB 291 | Prohibits Landlords from Disclosing Immigration Status of Tenants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 20) |
| June 29, 2017 | National | HR 3003 | No Sanctuary for Criminals Act | Bill Passed - House (228 - 195) |
| June 29, 2017 | National | HR 3004 | Kate's Law | Bill Passed - House (257 - 167) |
| June 28, 2017 | OH | HB 27 | Amends Eligibility for Workers' Compensation Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| June 20, 2017 | OR | HB 3464 | Prohibits Disclosure of Immigration Status | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| June 7, 2017 | National | HR 2213 | Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (282 - 137) |
| May 17, 2017 | OH | HB 27 | Amends Eligibility for Workers' Compensation Benefits | Bill Passed - House (66 - 31) |
| April 27, 2017 | TX | SB 4 | Prohibits Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - House (94 - 53) |
| March 23, 2017 | NJ | S 3006 | Prohibits Blocking Entry of Individuals from Certain Countries | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| March 15, 2017 | VT | S 79 | Prohibits the Disclosure of Personally Identifying Information | Bill Passed - House (110 - 24) |
| Feb. 23, 2017 | VA | HB 2000 | Prohibits Establishment of Sanctuary Cities | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 34) |
| Feb. 22, 2017 | GA | HB 37 | Prohibits State Funding for Sanctuary Campuses | Bill Passed - House (112 - 57) |
| Feb. 7, 2017 | VA | HB 2000 | Prohibits Establishment of Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - House (63 - 33) |
| May 31, 2016 | CA | SB 10 | Authorizes Undocumented Immigrants to be Eligible for Health Coverage | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| May 5, 2016 | AZ | SB 1377 | Establishes Criminal Sentencing Requirements for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Failed - House (29 - 31) |
| May 4, 2016 | AZ | SB 1377 | Establishes Criminal Sentencing Requirements for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Failed - House (28 - 32) |
| May 4, 2016 | LA | HB 453 | Requires Sanctuary Cities to be Liable for Damages Caused by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (65 - 20) |
| May 4, 2016 | LA | HB 1148 | Prohibits Sanctuary Cities from Receiving Certain State Funds | Bill Passed - House (67 - 27) |
| April 18, 2016 | TN | SJR 467 | Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program | Bill Passed - House (69 - 25) |
| March 17, 2016 | National | H Res 639 | Authorizing the Speaker to Appear as Amicus Curiae on Behalf of the House of Representatives in the Matter of United States, et al. v. Texas, et al., No. 15-674 | Resolution Passed - House (234 - 186) |
| Feb. 26, 2016 | GA | HB 781 | Prohibits Undocumented Immigrants from Serving on Local Governing Bodies | Bill Passed - House (93 - 50) |