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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 12, 2021 | WI | AB 1 | Expands State Medicaid to Ensure Coverage of COVID-19 Testing and Vaccinations | (29 - 2) |
| Jan. 11, 2021 | IL | HB 2451 | Increases the Annual Cost of Living for Retired Firefighters | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 14) |
| Oct. 22, 2020 | LA | HB 43 | Establishes Guidelines for Nursing Homes During COVID-19 Pandemic | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| Oct. 8, 2020 | MI | SB 1094 | Prohibits Nursing Homes from Admitting or Retaining Coronavirus Positive Individuals for Care | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
| Sept. 24, 2020 | NJ | S 2712 | Establishes Minimum Direct Care Staff-to-Resident Ratios in Nursing Homes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Aug. 27, 2020 | NJ | A 4476 | Establishes a Long-Term Care Emergency Operations Center for Infectious Disease Preparedness | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| Aug. 27, 2020 | NJ | A 1263 | Prohibits Stranger-Originated Life Insurance Policy Arrangements | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
| June 25, 2020 | CA | ACA 11 | Establishes the "Home Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, Families, and Victims of Wildfire or Natural Disasters Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| March 12, 2020 | UT | HB 494 | Appropriates Funds In Response to the COVID-19 Emergency | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 0) |
| May 23, 2019 | NH | HB 696 | Establishes a Protective Order for Vulnerable Adults | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (13 - 10) |
| April 22, 2019 | NV | SB 224 | Authorizes Confidentiality Requirements for Public Employee Retirement Records | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| June 7, 2018 | MI | SB 787 | Authorizes Reduced Car Insurance Options for Seniors | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| June 26, 2014 | NJ | S 2264 | Authorizes Additional Teacher Pension Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| June 3, 2014 | MI | HB 5575 | Establishes the Mighigan Settlement Authority Administration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| May 27, 2014 | IL | HB 1154 | Amends Cook County Pension Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| May 21, 2014 | OK | HB 2630 | Amends State Employee Retirement Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 11) |
| April 10, 2014 | NE | LB 690 | Establishes the Aging Nebraskans Task Force | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 12) |
| April 8, 2014 | IL | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| March 31, 2014 | NE | LB 690 | Establishes the Aging Nebraskans Task Force | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| March 31, 2014 | National | HR 4302 | Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
| March 13, 2014 | NH | SB 364 | Increase Retirement Benefits for Public Employees | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - Senate (12 - 11) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| April 18, 2013 | MT | HB 377 | Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| April 11, 2013 | OR | SB 822 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 26, 2013 | KY | SB 2 | Amends the State Employee Pension Program | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 6) |