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
Oct. 8, 2025 OH SB 55 Establishes a Stricter Standard of Prosecution for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 0)
Oct. 7, 2025 PA HB 18 Establishes New Regulations Regarding Review Hearing for Incapacitated Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 1)
Sept. 13, 2025 CA SB 245 Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to Certify that a Defendant Successfully Participated in Certain Programs Prior to their Release Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 7)
Sept. 12, 2025 CA AB 1108 Requires 3rd Party Medical Examiners to Determine Cause of Death for Police Custody Deaths Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Sept. 10, 2025 CA SB 312 Requires Dog Importers to Submit Health Certifications to the CDFA Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
Sept. 9, 2025 CA SB 642 Establishes the State Statute of Limitations for Civil Actions Brought Under Section 1197.5 of the California Labor Code at 3 Years Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
Sept. 9, 2025 CA AB 260 Establishes Protections for Pharmacists, Doctors and Hospitals from Penalties for Dispensing the Abortion Pill Mifepristone to Out-of-State Patients, and Removes the Names of Patients and Providers from Abortion Medication Prescriptions Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
Sept. 9, 2025 CA AB 250 Establishes a 2-Year Window to Revive Civil Claims for Sexual Assault Even if the Statute of Limitations has Expired Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
Sept. 8, 2025 CA AB 316 Prohibits Artificial Intelligence Developers or Deployers from Asserting that AI "Autonomously" Caused Harm as a Legal Defense Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
Sept. 3, 2025 TX HB 7 Increases Restrictions on Abortion Pills Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 8)
Sept. 3, 2025 CA AB 406 Prohibits Employers from Taking Action Against an Employee who is the Victim of Certain Crimes Taking Time off for Judicial Proceedings Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 2)
Aug. 12, 2025 TX SB 16 (Special Session) Appropriates Funding for the State Judicial Omnibus Package Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 0)
June 30, 2025 NJ A 3802 Establishes Differences Between Certain Legal Services and Traditional Insurance Products Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
June 30, 2025 DE HB 142 Prohibits Private Individuals from Arresting Someone Accused of a Felony by Another State Without a Warrant Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
June 30, 2025 NJ A 4603 Authorizes Commercial Farmers to be Awarded Legal Fees for Defending Against Bad Faith Complaints Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
June 30, 2025 DE HB 182 Prohibits Law-Enforcement Agencies from Entering into Agreements with Federal Immigration Authorities to Enforce Immigration Violations or Share Related Data Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 3)
June 30, 2025 NJ A 5447 Prohibits Sweepstakes Model of Wagering Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
June 25, 2025 DE HB 154 Authorizes Immunity to Nonprofit Organizations Who Distribute New Secure Gun Storage and Safety Devices Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6)
June 25, 2025 OR SB 875 Expands Protections for Oregon's Foster Youth Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 6)
June 25, 2025 ME LD 1126 Prohibits the Manufacture, Possession, Importation, Sale, or Transfer of Undetectable Firearms in the State "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16)
June 25, 2025 MI SB 226 Prohibits Firearms in the Michigan State Capitol Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17)
June 23, 2025 OR SB 1173 Prohibits Lawsuits Against Hospitals for Injury Caused by Drugs That the Hospital Did Not Design, Manufacture, or Sell Commercially Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
June 18, 2025 WI AB 87 Requires an Individual Convicted of Child Trafficking to Pay Restitution Immediately or Have Assets Seized Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
June 18, 2025 OH SB 4 Establishes an Election Integrity Unit in the Secretary of State's Office to Investigate Election Law Violations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
June 17, 2025 ME LD 1189 Authorizes an Attorney for the State to Determine Whether to Charge Certain Class E Crimes as Civil Violations "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/08 SB 55 Establishes a Stricter Standard of Prosecution for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 0)
10/07 HB 18 Establishes New Regulations Regarding Review Hearing for Incapacitated Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 1)
9/13 SB 245 Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to Certify that a Defendant Successfully Participated in Certain Programs Prior to their Release Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 7)
9/12 AB 1108 Requires 3rd Party Medical Examiners to Determine Cause of Death for Police Custody Deaths Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
9/10 SB 312 Requires Dog Importers to Submit Health Certifications to the CDFA Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
9/09 SB 642 Establishes the State Statute of Limitations for Civil Actions Brought Under Section 1197.5 of the California Labor Code at 3 Years Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
9/09 AB 260 Establishes Protections for Pharmacists, Doctors and Hospitals from Penalties for Dispensing the Abortion Pill Mifepristone to Out-of-State Patients, and Removes the Names of Patients and Providers from Abortion Medication Prescriptions Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
9/09 AB 250 Establishes a 2-Year Window to Revive Civil Claims for Sexual Assault Even if the Statute of Limitations has Expired Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
9/08 AB 316 Prohibits Artificial Intelligence Developers or Deployers from Asserting that AI "Autonomously" Caused Harm as a Legal Defense Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
9/03 HB 7 Increases Restrictions on Abortion Pills Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 8)
9/03 AB 406 Prohibits Employers from Taking Action Against an Employee who is the Victim of Certain Crimes Taking Time off for Judicial Proceedings Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 2)
8/12 SB 16 (Special Session) Appropriates Funding for the State Judicial Omnibus Package Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 0)
6/30 A 3802 Establishes Differences Between Certain Legal Services and Traditional Insurance Products Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
6/30 HB 142 Prohibits Private Individuals from Arresting Someone Accused of a Felony by Another State Without a Warrant Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
6/30 A 4603 Authorizes Commercial Farmers to be Awarded Legal Fees for Defending Against Bad Faith Complaints Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
6/30 HB 182 Prohibits Law-Enforcement Agencies from Entering into Agreements with Federal Immigration Authorities to Enforce Immigration Violations or Share Related Data Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 3)
6/30 A 5447 Prohibits Sweepstakes Model of Wagering Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
6/25 HB 154 Authorizes Immunity to Nonprofit Organizations Who Distribute New Secure Gun Storage and Safety Devices Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6)
6/25 SB 875 Expands Protections for Oregon's Foster Youth Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 6)
6/25 LD 1126 Prohibits the Manufacture, Possession, Importation, Sale, or Transfer of Undetectable Firearms in the State "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16)
6/25 SB 226 Prohibits Firearms in the Michigan State Capitol Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17)
6/23 SB 1173 Prohibits Lawsuits Against Hospitals for Injury Caused by Drugs That the Hospital Did Not Design, Manufacture, or Sell Commercially Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
6/18 AB 87 Requires an Individual Convicted of Child Trafficking to Pay Restitution Immediately or Have Assets Seized Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
6/18 SB 4 Establishes an Election Integrity Unit in the Secretary of State's Office to Investigate Election Law Violations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
6/17 LD 1189 Authorizes an Attorney for the State to Determine Whether to Charge Certain Class E Crimes as Civil Violations "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15)

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