Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
April 12, 2018 NJ A 1827 Requires Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
April 12, 2018 NJ A 3686 Increases State Protections for Labor Unions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
April 12, 2018 MI SB 741 Prohibits Breed-Specific Ordinances Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 11, 2018 OH SB 231 Establishes Database of Violent Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2)
April 6, 2018 OK HB 3375 Authorizes Sports Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 16)
April 4, 2018 IA SF 481 Requires Law Enforcement for Comply with ICE Detainer Requests Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 18)
April 4, 2018 MA S 2371 Amends Criminal Justice Law Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 0)
April 3, 2018 MD SB 101 Amends Certain Definitions and Regulations for Crimes of Violence Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
April 3, 2018 MD SB 101 Amends Certain Definitions and Regulations for Crimes of Violence Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
April 3, 2018 MD HB 447 Establishes Pretrial Services Program Grant Fund Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 11)
March 30, 2018 VT S 55 Amends Various State Gun Laws Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
March 30, 2018 MD HB 908 Requires Insurance Companies to Cover Fertility Treatments for Cancer Patients Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0)
March 30, 2018 NY S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
March 30, 2018 NY S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
March 26, 2018 NJ S 699 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
March 26, 2018 NJ S 482 Authorizes Couples to Enter Into Legally Binding Agreements with Surrogate Mothers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
March 26, 2018 NJ S 1036 Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
March 26, 2018 NJ S 1036 Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
March 22, 2018 MD HB 532 Establishes Election Day Voter Registration and Same-Day Voting Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
March 22, 2018 NH SB 569 Amends Pet Vendor Regulations "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5)
March 21, 2018 ID H 658 Amends Trespassing Laws Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
March 21, 2018 National HR 1865 Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
March 21, 2018 National HR 1865 Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
March 21, 2018 NY S 3698 Prohibits Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29)
March 18, 2018 IL HB 1465 Establishes Age Limit for Purchase of Assault-Style Weapons Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/12 A 1827 Requires Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
4/12 A 3686 Increases State Protections for Labor Unions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
4/12 SB 741 Prohibits Breed-Specific Ordinances Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/11 SB 231 Establishes Database of Violent Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2)
4/06 HB 3375 Authorizes Sports Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 16)
4/04 SF 481 Requires Law Enforcement for Comply with ICE Detainer Requests Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 18)
4/04 S 2371 Amends Criminal Justice Law Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 0)
4/03 SB 101 Amends Certain Definitions and Regulations for Crimes of Violence Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
4/03 SB 101 Amends Certain Definitions and Regulations for Crimes of Violence Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
4/03 HB 447 Establishes Pretrial Services Program Grant Fund Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 11)
3/30 S 55 Amends Various State Gun Laws Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
3/30 HB 908 Requires Insurance Companies to Cover Fertility Treatments for Cancer Patients Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0)
3/30 S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
3/30 S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
3/26 S 699 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
3/26 S 482 Authorizes Couples to Enter Into Legally Binding Agreements with Surrogate Mothers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
3/26 S 1036 Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
3/26 S 1036 Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
3/22 HB 532 Establishes Election Day Voter Registration and Same-Day Voting Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/22 SB 569 Amends Pet Vendor Regulations "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5)
3/21 H 658 Amends Trespassing Laws Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
3/21 HR 1865 Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
3/21 HR 1865 Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
3/21 S 3698 Prohibits Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29)
3/18 HB 1465 Establishes Age Limit for Purchase of Assault-Style Weapons Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22)

arrow_upward