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. 17, 2023 | UT | HB 137 | Establishes Brine Shrimp as the State Crustacean | Bill Passed - House (45 - 24) |
| Feb. 9, 2023 | IA | HF 175 | Amends List of Fur Bearing Animals to Include Black Bears and Authorizes Hunting | Bill Passed - House (90 - 5) |
| Jan. 24, 2023 | IN | HB 1306 | Increases Penalty for Killing Law Enforcement Animal | Bill Passed - House (89 - 8) |
| Nov. 14, 2022 | National | HR 5441 | PAST Act of 2021 | Bill Passed - House (304 - 111) |
| Sept. 21, 2022 | MI | HB 6354 | Amends Law in Regard to Hunting | (73 - 33) |
| July 29, 2022 | National | HR 263 | Big Cat Public Safety Act | Bill Passed - House (278 - 134) |
| June 16, 2022 | DE | HB 386 | Prohibits Cat Declawing as Condition of Rental Agreement | Bill Passed - House (24 - 13) |
| June 14, 2022 | National | HR 2773 | Recovering America's Wildlife Act of 2021 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 190) |
| June 3, 2022 | NY | S 1130 | Prohibits the Sale of Cats, Dogs, and Rabbits in Stores | Bill Passed - House (134 - 15) |
| May 3, 2022 | HI | SB 2065 | Prohibits Aerial Drones and Vehicles for Fishing Purposes | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 4) |
| April 29, 2022 | AK | SB 33 | Establishes Fisheries Product Development Tax Credit | (36 - 2) |
| April 28, 2022 | OK | SB 1696 | Extends Hunting License Expiration Dates | Bill Passed - House (79 - 1) |
| April 27, 2022 | TN | SB 2013 | Increases Penalties for Killing Police Dogs | Bill Passed - House (77 - 6) |
| April 8, 2022 | MD | HB 16 | Specifies When Dogs May Not Be Left Unattended Outdoors | (118 - 15) |
| March 10, 2022 | MD | HB 22 | Prohibits Declawing of Cats | Bill Passed - House (112 - 25) |
| March 10, 2022 | MD | HB 52 | Prohibits Sale of Certain Animal Parts, Products | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| March 3, 2022 | ID | H 720 | Prohibits Non-Human Entities From Being Granted Personhood | Bill Passed - House (50 - 17) |
| March 1, 2022 | UT | HB 476 | Prohibits Local Ordinances Against Animal Enterprises | Bill Passed - House (43 - 28) |
| Feb. 17, 2022 | AR | SB 21 | Appropriates Funds for the Catfish Promotion Board | Bill Passed - House (86 - 4) |
| Jan. 28, 2022 | UT | HB 112 | Prohibits All Forms of Animal Fighting | Bill Passed - House (55 - 18) |
| Jan. 27, 2022 | IN | HB 1248 | Prohibits Big Cat and Bear Cub Owners from Allowing Public Interaction | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| Sept. 10, 2021 | CA | SB 715 | Extends Restrictions on Gun Control Loopholes by Requiring Verification on Hunting Licenses | Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 22) |
| April 29, 2021 | MT | SB 98 | Reduces Restrictions on Killing/Taking of Grizzly Bears | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 32) |
| April 29, 2021 | MO | HB 508 | Increases Penalties for Knowingly Releasing Feral Hogs Into the Wild | Bill Passed - House (108 - 38) |
| April 27, 2021 | ID | S 1211 | Authorizes Removal of 90 Percent of the Wolf Population | Bill Passed - House (58 - 11) |
| April 26, 2021 | MT | SB 306 | Expands the Size of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 28) |
| April 22, 2021 | OH | SB 28 | Authorizes the Use of Owls for Falconry | Bill Passed - House (69 - 23) |
| April 14, 2021 | IL | HB 1711 | Prohibits Puppy Mills | Bill Passed - House (76 - 24) |
| March 2, 2021 | WA | HB 1117 | Amends the States Comprehensive Planning Network to Improve Salmon Recovery | Bill Passed - House (58 - 38) |
| March 1, 2021 | ID | H 187 | Authorizes Fish and Game Officers to Enforce Motorized Vehicle Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (50 - 19) |
| Feb. 15, 2021 | MT | HB 202 | Specifies Hunting Permits are Once-in-a-Lifetime | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| Feb. 11, 2021 | KY | SB 120 | Authorizes Historical Horse Racing Machines | Bill Passed - House (55 - 38) |
| Feb. 11, 2021 | MO | HB 574 | Limits Law Enforcement and Regulators Ability to Inspect Farm and Dog Breeding Operations | Bill Passed - House (109 - 43) |
| Jan. 21, 2021 | MT | HB 124 | Authorizes Shooting Big Game if it Collides with a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| Dec. 3, 2020 | National | HR 1380 | Big Cat Public Safety Act | Bill Passed - House (272 - 114) |
| June 11, 2020 | OH | HB 33 | Requires Social Service Professionals to Alert Authorities When They Suspect Animal Abuse | Bill Passed - House (90 - 2) |
| May 20, 2020 | PA | HB 2440 | Classifies Shooting Ranges, Sportsman Clubs, Hunting Facilities, and Firearm Businesses as "Life-Sustaining" | Bill Passed - House (124 - 78) |
| March 2, 2020 | VA | SB 1030 | Prohibits Dangerous Captive Animal Exhibits | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| Feb. 6, 2020 | MI | HB 4567 | Amends Fishing Regulations | Bill Passed - House (72 - 32) |
| Jan. 29, 2020 | VA | HB 119 | Requires Milk be Defined as the Lacteal Secretion Obtained by the Complete Milking of a Hooved Animal | Bill Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| Nov. 25, 2019 | NJ | S 2905 | Prohibits Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - House (54 - 19) |
| Nov. 6, 2019 | MI | SB 174 | Extends Deadline for 100 Percent Cage-Free Eggs Requirement | Bill Passed - House (74 - 36) |
| Nov. 5, 2019 | MI | HB 4687 | Repeals Prohibition of Deer-Baiting | Bill Passed - House (57 - 49) |
| June 4, 2019 | NY | S 5532 | Prohibits Declawing Cats | Bill Passed - House (113 - 31) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | AB 44 | Prohibits the Sale and Manufacturing of Fur Products | Bill Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | AB 1254 | Prohibits Hunting of Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (54 - 21) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | AB 454 | Establishes Protections for Migratory Birds | Bill Passed - House (55 - 21) |
| May 21, 2019 | IL | SB 241 | Prohibits Use of Animal Testing on Manufacturer Products Sold in the State | Bill Passed - House (85 - 25) |
| April 18, 2019 | WA | HB 1579 | Increases Catch Limits for Bass, Walleye, and Catfish | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 37) |
| April 5, 2019 | MD | HB 298 | Establishes Oyster Sanctuaries | Veto Override Passed - House (96 - 43) |