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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2021 | IA | SF 252 | Prohibits Cities from Mandating Participation in the Section 8 Federal Housing Program | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| March 10, 2021 | National | HR 1319 | American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 211) |
| March 3, 2021 | NC | HB 128 | Establishes a $1,500 Bonus for Unemployed Individuals that Accept Reemployment Within 30 Days | Bill Passed - House (77 - 42) |
| Feb. 27, 2021 | National | HR 1319 | American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 | Bill Passed - House (219 - 212) |
| Feb. 25, 2021 | CA | AB 133 | Expands Medi-Cal Eligibility to Low-Income Adults Regardless of Immigration Status | Bill Passed - House (56 - 18) |
| Feb. 23, 2021 | VA | HB 1889 | Extends Eviction Protections for Renters Experiencing Financial Hardship | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 43) |
| Jan. 15, 2021 | CA | AB 81 | Extends Unemployment Benefits During the COVID-19 Pandemic | Bill Passed - House (48 - 13) |
| Dec. 28, 2020 | NY | S 9114 | Establishes Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Protections | Bill Passed - House (96 - 50) |
| Dec. 21, 2020 | MI | SB 604 | Extends Unemployment Benefits During the COVID-19 Pandemic | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (98 - 4) |
| Dec. 21, 2020 | OR | HB 4401 | Requires Distribution of Unpaid Rent During State of Emergencies | Bill Passed - House (40 - 14) |
| Dec. 2, 2020 | CO | HB 20B-1003 | Expands Food Pantry Programs for Pandemic Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 5) |
| Dec. 2, 2020 | CO | SB 20B-003 | Appropriates Funds for Energy Utility Bill Payment Assistance | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
| Sept. 1, 2020 | MI | SB 745 | Appropriates Funds for a Temporary Additional $300 Weekly Unemployment Benefit | Bill Passed - House (106 - 3) |
| Aug. 10, 2020 | OR | SB 1703 | Authorizes the Department of Revenue to Share Information with the Director of Employment | Bill Passed - House (52 - 5) |
| June 12, 2020 | CO | SB 20-207 | Increases the Wages One Can Earn on Unemployment | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| June 10, 2020 | CA | AB 2405 | Establishes a Right to Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - House (64 - 5) |
| May 14, 2020 | MO | HB 1414 | Establishes a State Birth Certificate Program and Medicaid Health Coverage for Missouri's Homeless Youth | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (138 - 4) |
| May 12, 2020 | SC | H 3998 | Establishes a State Housing Credit Equal to the Federal Low Income Housing Credit | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (97 - 18) |
| May 9, 2020 | MN | HF 4582 | Expands Access to Temporary Assistance for Low Income Families | Bill Passed - House (73 - 59) |
| May 7, 2020 | OK | HB 2760 | Reduces the Annual Affordable Housing Tax Credits Offered by the State | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| April 22, 2020 | VA | SB 883 | Establishes the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 44) |
| March 11, 2020 | WA | HB 2441 | Increases Access to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| March 11, 2020 | WA | SB 6478 | Reduces Sanctions Related to Noncompliance with TANF Work Requirements for Abuse Survivors | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| March 10, 2020 | UT | SB 39 | Increases Funding for Affordable Housing Development | Bill Passed - House (48 - 24) |
| March 9, 2020 | SD | SB 96 | Repeals the Lifetime Ban on Drug Felons Receiving TANF Benefits | Bill Passed - House (49 - 17) |
| Feb. 25, 2020 | VT | S 23 | Increases the State Minimum Wage | Veto Override Passed - House (100 - 49) |
| Feb. 21, 2020 | KY | HB 1 | Amends Public Assistance Laws and Regulations | Bill Passed - House (58 - 32) |
| Feb. 18, 2020 | AZ | HB 2732 | Increases Low-Income Housing Tax Credits by $8 Million | Bill Passed - House (45 - 15) |
| Feb. 14, 2020 | OR | HB 4067 | Authorizes the Public Utility Commission to Provide Assistance to Low-Income Earners | Bill Passed - House (43 - 11) |
| Sept. 10, 2019 | CA | SB 329 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Section 8 Housing Renters | Bill Passed - House (46 - 21) |
| June 5, 2019 | NH | SB 290 | Amends Medicaid Work Requirements | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (207 - 143) |
| May 30, 2019 | ME | LD 1324 | Establishes Committee for Universal Basic Income System | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (77 - 62) |
| May 23, 2019 | NH | SB 165 | Authorizes Solar Energy Development in Low-Income Communities | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (229 - 113) |
| May 20, 2019 | OR | HB 3076 | Establishes Standards for Non-Profit Hospitals | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| April 11, 2019 | CA | AB 101 | Prohibits Citizens' Right to Appeal the Building of Homeless Navigation Centers | Bill Passed - House (54 - 13) |
| April 4, 2019 | ID | S 1204 | Amends Medicaid Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| March 29, 2019 | IL | HB 3343 | Authorizes Food Stamp Benefits to Be Used in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (75 - 18) |
| March 25, 2019 | GA | SB 106 | Authorizes Governor to Pursue Medicaid Waivers | Bill Passed - House (104 - 67) |
| Oct. 17, 2018 | PA | SB 6 | Establishes Further Stipulations for Welfare Access | Bill Passed - House (124 - 62) |
| March 17, 2017 | NM | SB 374 | Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch | Bill Passed - House (60 - 0) |
| Feb. 23, 2017 | AZ | HB 2372 | Extends Time Period for Individuals to Receive Government Assistance | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| March 31, 2016 | CA | SB 3 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 26) |
| March 3, 2016 | OR | SB 1533 | Authorizes Inclusionary Zoning | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| Feb. 19, 2016 | ID | H 463 | Prohibits Local Governments from Increasing Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Feb. 18, 2016 | OR | SB 1532 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| Feb. 16, 2016 | AL | HB 174 | Prohibits Local Governments from Establishing Wage or Employee Benefits Requirements | Bill Passed - House (71 - 31) |
| June 23, 2015 | RI | H 5364 | Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| June 5, 2015 | FL | SB 2-A | Establishes the Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange Program | Bill Failed - House (41 - 72) |
| June 2, 2015 | RI | H 5074 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (59 - 13) |
| June 1, 2015 | CA | AB 718 | Authorizes Sleeping in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |