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
Aug. 13, 2017 TX HB 214 Premium Increase for Non-Emergency Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
July 25, 2017 TX SB 10 Changes for Abortion Requirements at Health Care Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
July 6, 2017 OR HB 2355 Reduces Criminal Charges for Drug Possession Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
July 6, 2017 OR HB 3464 Prohibits Disclosure of Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
July 5, 2017 OR HB 3391 Requires Coverage for Abortions and Contraceptives Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
June 30, 2017 WA SB 5975 Establishes Paid Family Leave Insurance Program Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
June 29, 2017 DE HB 249 Authorizes Fantasy Sports Betting Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11)
June 28, 2017 PA SB 383 Authorizes Teachers to Carry Firearms on School Property Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
June 19, 2017 NY S 5512A Establishes Harsher Penalties for Bomb Threats Against Community Centers Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 0)
June 19, 2017 NJ S 3067 Prohibits Transgender Discrimination in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
June 15, 2017 RI S 237A Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Juveniles with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
June 14, 2017 WI SB 68 Amends Prohibition on Baiting and Feeding Deer Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
June 6, 2017 LA SB 139 Establishes New Parole Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
May 31, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
May 31, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
May 31, 2017 CA SB 10 Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System (25 - 11)
May 31, 2017 CA SB 394 Authorizes Parole for Juvenile Offenders with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
May 30, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
May 30, 2017 LA HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
May 24, 2017 ME LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients
May 24, 2017 PA HB 271 Establishes Internet Gambling Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
May 17, 2017 IL SB 7 Establishes Gambling Industry Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 24)
May 16, 2017 NE LB 289 Authorizes Life Prison Terms for Sex Traffickers and Solicitors Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
May 11, 2017 AL SB 200 Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/13 HB 214 Premium Increase for Non-Emergency Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
7/25 SB 10 Changes for Abortion Requirements at Health Care Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
7/06 HB 2355 Reduces Criminal Charges for Drug Possession Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
7/06 HB 3464 Prohibits Disclosure of Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
7/05 HB 3391 Requires Coverage for Abortions and Contraceptives Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
6/30 SB 5975 Establishes Paid Family Leave Insurance Program Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
6/29 HB 249 Authorizes Fantasy Sports Betting Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11)
6/28 SB 383 Authorizes Teachers to Carry Firearms on School Property Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
6/19 S 5512A Establishes Harsher Penalties for Bomb Threats Against Community Centers Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 0)
6/19 S 3067 Prohibits Transgender Discrimination in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
6/15 S 237A Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Juveniles with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
6/14 SB 68 Amends Prohibition on Baiting and Feeding Deer Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
6/06 SB 139 Establishes New Parole Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
5/31 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
5/31 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
5/31 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
5/31 SB 10 Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System (25 - 11)
5/31 SB 394 Authorizes Parole for Juvenile Offenders with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
5/30 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
5/30 HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
5/24 LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients
5/24 HB 271 Establishes Internet Gambling Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
5/17 SB 7 Establishes Gambling Industry Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 24)
5/16 LB 289 Authorizes Life Prison Terms for Sex Traffickers and Solicitors Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
5/11 SB 200 Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)

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