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
Jan. 23, 2024 SD SB 57 Prohibits Professional Agencies from Denying Convicted Felons from Obtaining Trade Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
Jan. 8, 2024 NJ S 723 Establishes a Domestic Bill of Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
Jan. 8, 2024 NJ S 723 Establishes a Domestic Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (48 - 26)
Nov. 9, 2023 MI SB 185 Authorizes Graduate Student Research Assistants and Independent University Contractors to Unionize Bill Passed - House (56 - 51)
Nov. 9, 2023 MI SB 169 Requires Public Employers Provide Collective Bargaining Representatives with Employee Contact Information Bill Passed - House (56 - 51)
Nov. 7, 2023 IL SB 508 Prohibits Employers From Putting Stricter Work Authorization Verification Requirements than Required by Federal Law Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 13)
Sept. 14, 2023 CA SB 525 Increases the Minimum Wage for Health Care Workers to $25 an Hour Starting in 2025 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
Sept. 14, 2023 CA AB 1228 Requires Fast Food Restaurants Share Legal Responsibility when State Labor Laws are Violated Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 17)
Sept. 14, 2023 CA AB 1228 Requires Fast Food Restaurants Share Legal Responsibility when State Labor Laws are Violated Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
Sept. 14, 2023 CA SB 525 Increases the Minimum Wage for Health Care Workers to $25 an Hour Starting in 2025 Bill Passed - House (63 - 13)
Sept. 13, 2023 CA AB 1 Authorizes Unionization of Legislative Staff Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 5)
Sept. 12, 2023 CA AB 1 Authorizes Unionization of Legislative Staff Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3)
July 6, 2023 ME LD 1756 Expands Employee's Freedom of Association and Speech in the Workplace (76 - 52)
July 6, 2023 ME LD 1756 Expands Employee's Freedom of Association and Speech in the Workplace "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 9)
June 21, 2023 DE SB 72 Establishes a Tax Credit for Dues-paying Union Members Bill Passed - House (26 - 12)
June 21, 2023 WI AB 322 Authorizes Ratification of a Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the State and Law Enforcement Association Bill Passed - House (91 - 2)
June 14, 2023 ME LD 1718 Increases Support for Maines Essential Workers by Increasing Higher Education Program Funding "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13)
June 14, 2023 RI H 5902 Increases Criminal Penalties for Wage Theft by Employers from a Misdemeanor to a Felony Bill Passed - House (70 - 2)
June 8, 2023 MI SB 169 Requires Public Employers Provide Collective Bargaining Representatives with Employee Contact Information Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
June 6, 2023 ME LD 1703 Expands the Equal Pay Act to Include Race "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (112 - 20)
June 5, 2023 NV SB 226 Establishes Requirements for Wages When Constructing Public Hospitals and Other Buildings Bill Passed - House (28 - 14)
June 5, 2023 NV SB 510 Authorizes Certain Collective Bargaining Agreements Bill Passed - House (28 - 14)
June 4, 2023 LA HB 205 Authorizes Overtime Pay for Teachers and School Employees Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 1)
May 31, 2023 CA SB 616 Increases Paid Sick Leave for Railroad Employees from 3 to 7 Days Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
May 31, 2023 NV SB 319 Defines the meaning of Employee for the Purpose of Collective Bargaining for State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 1)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/23 SB 57 Prohibits Professional Agencies from Denying Convicted Felons from Obtaining Trade Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
1/08 S 723 Establishes a Domestic Bill of Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
1/08 S 723 Establishes a Domestic Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (48 - 26)
11/09 SB 185 Authorizes Graduate Student Research Assistants and Independent University Contractors to Unionize Bill Passed - House (56 - 51)
11/09 SB 169 Requires Public Employers Provide Collective Bargaining Representatives with Employee Contact Information Bill Passed - House (56 - 51)
11/07 SB 508 Prohibits Employers From Putting Stricter Work Authorization Verification Requirements than Required by Federal Law Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 13)
9/14 SB 525 Increases the Minimum Wage for Health Care Workers to $25 an Hour Starting in 2025 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
9/14 AB 1228 Requires Fast Food Restaurants Share Legal Responsibility when State Labor Laws are Violated Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 17)
9/14 AB 1228 Requires Fast Food Restaurants Share Legal Responsibility when State Labor Laws are Violated Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
9/14 SB 525 Increases the Minimum Wage for Health Care Workers to $25 an Hour Starting in 2025 Bill Passed - House (63 - 13)
9/13 AB 1 Authorizes Unionization of Legislative Staff Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 5)
9/12 AB 1 Authorizes Unionization of Legislative Staff Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3)
7/06 LD 1756 Expands Employee's Freedom of Association and Speech in the Workplace (76 - 52)
7/06 LD 1756 Expands Employee's Freedom of Association and Speech in the Workplace "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 9)
6/21 SB 72 Establishes a Tax Credit for Dues-paying Union Members Bill Passed - House (26 - 12)
6/21 AB 322 Authorizes Ratification of a Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the State and Law Enforcement Association Bill Passed - House (91 - 2)
6/14 LD 1718 Increases Support for Maines Essential Workers by Increasing Higher Education Program Funding "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13)
6/14 H 5902 Increases Criminal Penalties for Wage Theft by Employers from a Misdemeanor to a Felony Bill Passed - House (70 - 2)
6/08 SB 169 Requires Public Employers Provide Collective Bargaining Representatives with Employee Contact Information Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
6/06 LD 1703 Expands the Equal Pay Act to Include Race "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (112 - 20)
6/05 SB 226 Establishes Requirements for Wages When Constructing Public Hospitals and Other Buildings Bill Passed - House (28 - 14)
6/05 SB 510 Authorizes Certain Collective Bargaining Agreements Bill Passed - House (28 - 14)
6/04 HB 205 Authorizes Overtime Pay for Teachers and School Employees Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 1)
5/31 SB 616 Increases Paid Sick Leave for Railroad Employees from 3 to 7 Days Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
5/31 SB 319 Defines the meaning of Employee for the Purpose of Collective Bargaining for State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 1)

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