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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2020 | PA | HB 1841 | Requires Background Checks for Police Officers | Bill Passed - House (201 - 0) |
| June 24, 2020 | MI | HB 5672 | Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Have Implants | Bill Passed - House (104 - 2) |
| June 24, 2020 | PA | SB 1205 | Prohibits the Use of Police Chokeholds | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0) |
| June 24, 2020 | PA | SB 1205 | Prohibits the Use of Police Chokeholds | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0) |
| June 24, 2020 | PA | SB 459 | Requires Municipal Law Enforcement Department Adoption of Use of Force Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0) |
| June 23, 2020 | GA | HB 426 | Increase Penalties for Bias-Motivated Crime | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (127 - 38) |
| June 23, 2020 | GA | HB 426 | Increase Penalties for Bias-Motivated Crime | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (127 - 38) |
| June 23, 2020 | GA | HB 838 | Increases Penalties for Crimes Against Police, Firefighters, and Paramedics | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (92 - 74) |
| June 23, 2020 | GA | HB 838 | Increases Penalties for Crimes Against Police, Firefighters, and Paramedics | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| June 23, 2020 | GA | HB 426 | Increase Penalties for Bias-Motivated Crime | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 6) |
| June 23, 2020 | GA | HB 426 | Increase Penalties for Bias-Motivated Crime | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 6) |
| June 22, 2020 | NM | SB 8 | Requires Law Enforcement to Use Body-Worn Cameras | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
| June 22, 2020 | NM | SB 8 | Requires Law Enforcement to Use Body-Worn Cameras | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
| June 20, 2020 | NM | HB 5 | Establishes the New Mexico Civil Rights Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 9) |
| June 20, 2020 | NM | HB 5 | Establishes the New Mexico Civil Rights Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 9) |
| June 19, 2020 | NM | HB 5 | Establishes the New Mexico Civil Rights Commission | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| June 19, 2020 | NM | HB 5 | Establishes the New Mexico Civil Rights Commission | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| June 19, 2020 | NM | SB 7 | Requires State Agencies to Implement Policies to Reduce Institutional Racism | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11) |
| June 19, 2020 | NM | SB 8 | Requires Law Enforcement to Use Body-Worn Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11) |
| June 19, 2020 | NM | SB 8 | Requires Law Enforcement to Use Body-Worn Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11) |
| June 19, 2020 | VT | HR 21 | Alleges Donald Trump's Tweets are "Racist" and Recognizes Juneteenth | Bill Passed - House (128 - 17) |
| June 19, 2020 | VT | HR 21 | Alleges Donald Trump's Tweets are "Racist" and Recognizes Juneteenth | Bill Passed - House (128 - 17) |
| June 18, 2020 | CA | AB 1460 | Requires Ethnic Studies Course Completion in State Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| June 18, 2020 | NJ | A 2394 | Establishes Minority Recruitment Program for Police Departments | Bill Passed - House (70 - 3) |
| June 18, 2020 | UT | HB 5007 | Prohibits Using Knee-Holds and Teaching Chokeholds in Police Academies | Bill Passed - House (69 - 5) |
| June 18, 2020 | NJ | A 1897 | Reduces Criminal Penalty for Marijuana Possession | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| June 18, 2020 | NJ | A 2394 | Establishes Minority Recruitment Program for Police Departments | Bill Passed - House (70 - 3) |
| June 17, 2020 | RI | S 2004 | Prohibits Non-Metallic Firearms and "Ghost Guns" | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| June 17, 2020 | RI | S 2004 | Prohibits Non-Metallic Firearms and "Ghost Guns" | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| June 17, 2020 | MS | HB 1295 | Prohibits Abortions for Reasons of Race, Sex, or Genetic Abnormality | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| June 17, 2020 | MS | HB 1087 | Rescinds the Prohibition on Alcohol Possession | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| June 17, 2020 | LA | HB 64 | Establishes 8 Percent Taxation Rate for Fantasy Sports | Bill Passed - House (82 - 11) |
| June 16, 2020 | NH | HB 705 | Repeals Statute of Limitation Requirements for Sexual Assault Lawsuits | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5) |
| June 16, 2020 | MS | SB 2112 | Prohibits Public Employers from Requiring Applicants to Disclose Felony Convictions on Application | Bill Passed - House (97 - 21) |
| June 16, 2020 | NH | HB 1582 | Establishes the Veterans Bill of Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 0) |
| June 16, 2020 | NC | SB 599 | Authorizes the Reopening of Bowling Alleys and Skating Rinks | Bill Passed - House (68 - 52) |
| June 16, 2020 | NC | HB 511 | Authorizes Shorter Sentences for Nonviolent Drug Offenders | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (48 - 0) |
| June 16, 2020 | NC | HB 511 | Authorizes Shorter Sentences for Nonviolent Drug Offenders | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (48 - 0) |
| June 16, 2020 | MN | SF 3 | Amends Law Enforcement Use of Force Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 31) |
| June 16, 2020 | NC | SB 562 | Repeals Dismissed Charges and Nonviolent Misdemeanors & Convictions | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 0) |
| June 15, 2020 | CA | AB 1950 | Limits Length of Probation Terms | Bill Passed - House (48 - 22) |
| June 13, 2020 | CO | SB 20-007 | Requires Insurance Carriers Provide Coverage for Treatment of Substance Use Disorders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| June 13, 2020 | CO | SB 20-224 | Prohibits Landlords from Asking Immigration Status Questions on Rental Applications | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| June 12, 2020 | CO | SB 20-217 | Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| June 12, 2020 | CO | SB 20-007 | Requires Insurance Carriers Provide Coverage for Treatment of Substance Use Disorders | Bill Passed - House (48 - 17) |
| June 12, 2020 | CO | SB 20-224 | Prohibits Landlords from Asking Immigration Status Questions on Rental Applications | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| June 12, 2020 | CO | SB 20-217 | Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| June 12, 2020 | CO | SB 20-221 | Prohibits the "Gay Panic" Murder Defense | Bill Passed - House (63 - 1) |
| June 12, 2020 | CO | SB 20-181 | Amends Incompetent-to-Proceed Process for Mentally Ill Defendants | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| June 12, 2020 | CO | SB 20-221 | Prohibits the "Gay Panic" Murder Defense | Bill Passed - House (63 - 1) |