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 6, 2017 DE SB 5 Authorizes Abortions Before the Point of Viability Bill Passed - House (22 - 16)
June 1, 2017 NH SB 66 Authorizes Murder Charges for an Individual Who Causes the Death of a Fetus Bill Passed - House (186 - 170)
June 1, 2017 CA AB 1578 Prohibits State Law Enforcement from Cooperating with Federal Marijuana Law Enforcement Bill Passed - House (41 - 33)
June 1, 2017 CA AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
May 30, 2017 IL SB 1696 Establishes a Muslim Advisory Council Bill Passed - House
May 29, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - House (62 - 49)
May 25, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
May 25, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
May 24, 2017 LA HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
May 24, 2017 LA HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
May 24, 2017 MA H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
May 24, 2017 OH HB 132 Establishes Regulations for Fantasy Sports Bill Passed - House (82 - 15)
May 24, 2017 OH HB 132 Establishes Regulations for Fantasy Sports Bill Passed - House (82 - 15)
May 23, 2017 ME LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - House (61 - 85)
May 22, 2017 NJ A 3532 Establishes Fantasy Sports Regulations Bill Passed - House (56 - 16)
May 18, 2017 National HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
May 17, 2017 OH HB 27 Amends Eligibility for Workers' Compensation Benefits Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
May 15, 2017 LA HB 71 Prohibits Removal of Public Military Memorials Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
May 10, 2017 VT S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
May 10, 2017 VT S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
May 10, 2017 CO HB 1329 Establishes Requirements for Youth Corrections Centers Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 22)
May 10, 2017 WI AB 242 Requires Drug Screening for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (62 - 35)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/06 SB 5 Authorizes Abortions Before the Point of Viability Bill Passed - House (22 - 16)
6/01 SB 66 Authorizes Murder Charges for an Individual Who Causes the Death of a Fetus Bill Passed - House (186 - 170)
6/01 AB 1578 Prohibits State Law Enforcement from Cooperating with Federal Marijuana Law Enforcement Bill Passed - House (41 - 33)
6/01 AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
5/31 SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
5/31 SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
5/31 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
5/30 SB 1696 Establishes a Muslim Advisory Council Bill Passed - House
5/29 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - House (62 - 49)
5/25 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
5/25 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
5/24 HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
5/24 HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
5/24 H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
5/24 HB 132 Establishes Regulations for Fantasy Sports Bill Passed - House (82 - 15)
5/24 HB 132 Establishes Regulations for Fantasy Sports Bill Passed - House (82 - 15)
5/23 LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - House (61 - 85)
5/22 A 3532 Establishes Fantasy Sports Regulations Bill Passed - House (56 - 16)
5/18 HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
5/17 HB 27 Amends Eligibility for Workers' Compensation Benefits Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
5/15 HB 71 Prohibits Removal of Public Military Memorials Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
5/10 S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
5/10 S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
5/10 HB 1329 Establishes Requirements for Youth Corrections Centers Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 22)
5/10 AB 242 Requires Drug Screening for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (62 - 35)

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