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
June 17, 2025 NC HB 612 Requires Counties and Cities to have Criminal History Record Checks for Applicants Offered a Position that Requires the Applicant to Work with Children in Any Capacity Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0)
June 12, 2025 LA HB 63 Authorizes a Constitutional Amendment to Raise the Mandatory Retirement Age For Judges Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 3)
June 12, 2025 NY S 54 Repeals the "Voluntary Intoxication" Loophole Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 0)
June 11, 2025 National S J Res 53 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of Qatar of certain defense articles and services. Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
June 11, 2025 National S J Res 54 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of the United Arab Emirates of certain defense articles and services. Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
June 11, 2025 NY S 410 Prohibits Courts From Reducing Jury Awards in Employment Discrimination Cases Except Under Exceptional Circumstance Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 21)
June 11, 2025 NY S 3967 Authorizes Legal Immunity for Sex Workers Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 0)
June 9, 2025 ME LD 259 Establishes the Criminal Records Review Commission "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15)
June 8, 2025 LA HB 496 Establishes Protections for Policyholders Against Any Rate Increases Tied to a Lapse in Auto Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 3)
June 2, 2025 NV AB 381 Expands Protections and Penalties Related to Animal Cruelty and Rescue Situations Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
June 2, 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 Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
June 1, 2025 IL SB 328 Specifies that the Transaction of any Business Within the State Submits any Person to the Jurisdiction of the Courts of Illinois Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
May 30, 2025 CT HB 7042 Authorizes Lawsuits Against the Firearm Industry Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
May 30, 2025 NE LB 298 Increases Legislative Supervision Over Divisions Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 2)
May 29, 2025 TX SB 9 Amends Bail Programs and the Release of Defendants to Require Notification of Victims Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
May 26, 2025 NV SB 60 Expands Criminal and Civil Penalties for Crimes Against Older or Vulnerable Persons Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 0)
May 22, 2025 NH HB 57 Establishes Bail Standards for Serious and Violent Offenses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8)
May 22, 2025 NH HB 57 Establishes Bail Standards for Serious and Violent Offenses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8)
May 21, 2025 LA HB 436 Prohibits Unauthorized Immigrants from Receiving General Damages Stemming from Auto Accidents Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
May 21, 2025 LA HB 431 Limits the Ability for Individuals to Recover Damages for Injuries Sustained in Accidents for Which They Are Mostly at Fault Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
May 21, 2025 NV AB 411 Establishes Legal Protections for Prescribers of Abortion Drugs like Mifepristone, Misoprostol Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
May 21, 2025 LA HB 450 Repeals the Housley Presumption that says Courts Should Assume a Plaintiff's Injuries Resulted from the Accident in Question Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
May 21, 2025 NE LB 298 Increases Legislative Supervision Over Divisions Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 3)
May 20, 2025 MI SB 259 Exempts Claims for Damages Resulting from Criminal Sexual Conduct from the Statute of Limitations on Claims Made Against the State Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
May 20, 2025 NY S 856 Increases State Prison Oversight Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/17 HB 612 Requires Counties and Cities to have Criminal History Record Checks for Applicants Offered a Position that Requires the Applicant to Work with Children in Any Capacity Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0)
6/12 HB 63 Authorizes a Constitutional Amendment to Raise the Mandatory Retirement Age For Judges Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 3)
6/12 S 54 Repeals the "Voluntary Intoxication" Loophole Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 0)
6/11 S J Res 53 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of Qatar of certain defense articles and services. Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
6/11 S J Res 54 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of the United Arab Emirates of certain defense articles and services. Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
6/11 S 410 Prohibits Courts From Reducing Jury Awards in Employment Discrimination Cases Except Under Exceptional Circumstance Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 21)
6/11 S 3967 Authorizes Legal Immunity for Sex Workers Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 0)
6/09 LD 259 Establishes the Criminal Records Review Commission "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15)
6/08 HB 496 Establishes Protections for Policyholders Against Any Rate Increases Tied to a Lapse in Auto Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 3)
6/02 AB 381 Expands Protections and Penalties Related to Animal Cruelty and Rescue Situations Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
6/02 SB 245 Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to Certify that a Defendant Successfully Participated in Certain Programs Prior to their Release Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
6/01 SB 328 Specifies that the Transaction of any Business Within the State Submits any Person to the Jurisdiction of the Courts of Illinois Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
5/30 HB 7042 Authorizes Lawsuits Against the Firearm Industry Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
5/30 LB 298 Increases Legislative Supervision Over Divisions Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 2)
5/29 SB 9 Amends Bail Programs and the Release of Defendants to Require Notification of Victims Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
5/26 SB 60 Expands Criminal and Civil Penalties for Crimes Against Older or Vulnerable Persons Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 0)
5/22 HB 57 Establishes Bail Standards for Serious and Violent Offenses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8)
5/22 HB 57 Establishes Bail Standards for Serious and Violent Offenses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8)
5/21 HB 436 Prohibits Unauthorized Immigrants from Receiving General Damages Stemming from Auto Accidents Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
5/21 HB 431 Limits the Ability for Individuals to Recover Damages for Injuries Sustained in Accidents for Which They Are Mostly at Fault Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
5/21 AB 411 Establishes Legal Protections for Prescribers of Abortion Drugs like Mifepristone, Misoprostol Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
5/21 HB 450 Repeals the Housley Presumption that says Courts Should Assume a Plaintiff's Injuries Resulted from the Accident in Question Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
5/21 LB 298 Increases Legislative Supervision Over Divisions Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 3)
5/20 SB 259 Exempts Claims for Damages Resulting from Criminal Sexual Conduct from the Statute of Limitations on Claims Made Against the State Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
5/20 S 856 Increases State Prison Oversight Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21)

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