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 7, 2018 NJ A 1217 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protective Orders Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
June 7, 2018 NJ A 2758 Requires Justifiable Need to Carry a Handgun Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
June 7, 2018 NJ A 1181 Amends Various Firearm Confiscation Measures Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
June 7, 2018 NJ A 2757 Requires Background Checks for Private Gun Sales Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
June 7, 2018 NJ A 4111 Amends Online Gambling Laws Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
June 7, 2018 NJ S 121 Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements Regarding Workplace Harassment Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1)
June 6, 2018 OH HB 506 Amends Laws Related to High-Volume Dog Breeding Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
June 6, 2018 NY S 7415 Prohibits Leasing Plans for Pets Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
May 30, 2018 IL SB 337 Amends Gun Dealer Licensing Rules Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 20)
May 30, 2018 IL HB 2354 Authorizes Courts to Confiscate Firearms from Potentially Dangerous Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 11)
May 30, 2018 IL HB 2354 Authorizes Courts to Confiscate Firearms from Potentially Dangerous Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 11)
May 29, 2018 MI SB 871 Increases the Statute of Limitations for Sexual Assault Offenses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
May 29, 2018 MI SB 872 Amends Statue of Limitations for Sexual Misconduct Cases Going Back until 1997 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 2)
May 29, 2018 CA SB 1100 Increases the Purchasing Age for Firearms to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
May 24, 2018 IL HB 4965 Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15)
May 24, 2018 IL HB 5599 Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
May 23, 2018 RI S 2678 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for DACA Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
May 16, 2018 LA SB 184 Amends Video Draw Poker Devices Control Law Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 14)
May 16, 2018 LA HB 88 Establishes Crime of Government Benefits Fraud Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
May 16, 2018 National S J Res 52 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission relating to "Restoring Internet Freedom" Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
May 15, 2018 LA SB 243 Establishes Constitutional Amendment for Unanimous Consent on Juries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
May 14, 2018 LA SB 236 Amends Laws Concerning Sexual Abuse of Animals Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
May 14, 2018 LA SB 236 Amends Laws Concerning Sexual Abuse of Animals Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
May 10, 2018 CA SB 785 Prohibits Irrelevant Disclosures of Immigration Status in Open Court Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
May 9, 2018 LA HB 484 Authorizes Fantasy Sports Contests Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/07 A 1217 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protective Orders Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
6/07 A 2758 Requires Justifiable Need to Carry a Handgun Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
6/07 A 1181 Amends Various Firearm Confiscation Measures Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
6/07 A 2757 Requires Background Checks for Private Gun Sales Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
6/07 A 4111 Amends Online Gambling Laws Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
6/07 S 121 Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements Regarding Workplace Harassment Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1)
6/06 HB 506 Amends Laws Related to High-Volume Dog Breeding Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
6/06 S 7415 Prohibits Leasing Plans for Pets Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
5/30 SB 337 Amends Gun Dealer Licensing Rules Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 20)
5/30 HB 2354 Authorizes Courts to Confiscate Firearms from Potentially Dangerous Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 11)
5/30 HB 2354 Authorizes Courts to Confiscate Firearms from Potentially Dangerous Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 11)
5/29 SB 871 Increases the Statute of Limitations for Sexual Assault Offenses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
5/29 SB 872 Amends Statue of Limitations for Sexual Misconduct Cases Going Back until 1997 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 2)
5/29 SB 1100 Increases the Purchasing Age for Firearms to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
5/24 HB 4965 Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15)
5/24 HB 5599 Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
5/23 S 2678 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for DACA Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
5/16 SB 184 Amends Video Draw Poker Devices Control Law Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 14)
5/16 HB 88 Establishes Crime of Government Benefits Fraud Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
5/16 S J Res 52 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission relating to "Restoring Internet Freedom" Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
5/15 SB 243 Establishes Constitutional Amendment for Unanimous Consent on Juries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
5/14 SB 236 Amends Laws Concerning Sexual Abuse of Animals Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
5/14 SB 236 Amends Laws Concerning Sexual Abuse of Animals Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
5/10 SB 785 Prohibits Irrelevant Disclosures of Immigration Status in Open Court Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
5/09 HB 484 Authorizes Fantasy Sports Contests Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)

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