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
April 15, 2021 OR SJM 4 Alleges Congress Should Implement Reparations for African Americans Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
April 15, 2021 TX SB 29 Prohibits Transgender Student's from Playing on Sports Teams That do Not Match their Birth Sex Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
April 9, 2021 KS SB 55 Prohibits Transgender Student Athletes from Participating on Sports Teams that do Not Match their Birth Sex Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 11)
April 8, 2021 TX SB 4 Requires the National Anthem be Played at All Sporting Events Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 2)
April 8, 2021 SC S 685 Authorizes College Athletes to be Paid for the Use of their Likeness Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 21)
March 25, 2021 CO SB 21-135 Prohibits the Use of Certain Animals in Traveling Animal Acts Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
March 17, 2021 KS SB 208 Prohibits Transgender Women and Girls from Participating in Women's Sports Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
March 16, 2021 WI SJR 11 Extends Honors to Rush Limbaugh Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
March 16, 2021 WI SJR 20 Establishes February 2021 as Black History Month and Honors Black Legislators Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (11 - 20)
March 8, 2021 SD HB 1217 Prohibits Athletes from Participating on Sports Teams that do not Match Their Birth Sex Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
Jan. 6, 2021 MS HB 1 Repeals the State Flag Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
Dec. 2, 2020 OH SB 334 Establishes Juneteenth as a Paid State Holiday Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
Sept. 25, 2020 VA HB 5052 Establishes Juneteenth Day as a Legal Holiday Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
Sept. 9, 2020 PA HB 2787 Authorizes Individual School Districts to Make Decisions Surrounding Activities and COVID-19 Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
July 30, 2020 NJ S 971 Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
July 30, 2020 NJ S 19 Establishes Juneteenth Day as a Public Holiday Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
July 28, 2020 MA S 2848 Establishes a Commission to Revise the State Seal and Motto Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
July 8, 2020 NC SB 599 Authorizes the Reopening of Bowling Alleys and Skating Rinks Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 21)
June 28, 2020 MS HB 1796 Authorizes the Redesign of the Mississippi State Flag Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 14)
June 26, 2020 NC SB 681 Requires Credit in the Arts in Order to Graduate Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 9)
April 22, 2020 VA SB 384 Amends Sports Betting Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
March 12, 2020 WY SF 134 Authorizes Liquor Licenses for Events Conducted at Rodeo Arenas Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
March 11, 2020 FL HB 1213 Requires Adding Ocoee Riots to School Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
March 11, 2020 WY HB 44 Requires the Observation of Mountain Daylight Time Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
March 7, 2020 VA SB 183 Authorizes Localities to Remove, Relocate, or Alter Monuments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 16)
March 6, 2020 UT HB 243 Requires Warning Labels on Pornography Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
March 3, 2020 RI S 2326 Establishes Film Production Tax Credits Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
Feb. 11, 2020 WV SB 131 Establishes the Tim Tebow Act Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Jan. 30, 2020 MI SB 385 Repeals Ticket-Scalping Ban Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
Jan. 22, 2020 VA SB 318 Reduces Number of Balloons that Can be Released per Hour Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Nov. 13, 2019 MI HB 4687 Repeals Prohibition of Deer-Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Aug. 19, 2019 CA AB 467 Requires Competitions Held on Public Lands to Offer Equal Prize Compensation Regardless of Gender Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
July 23, 2019 National HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
June 26, 2019 PA SB 147 Establishes Hunting Regulations on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14)
June 18, 2019 ME LD 553 Authorizes Sports Betting "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15)
June 14, 2019 NY S 5864 Establishes the Television Diversity Tax Credit Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
June 12, 2019 DE SB 73 Repeals Daylight Savings Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
June 11, 2019 NY S 1637 Prohibits Possession of Certain Flamethrowers Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 13)
May 22, 2019 CA SB 206 Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5)
May 20, 2019 SC H 4243 Authorizes Tax Incentives for Carolina Panthers Training Facilities Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 17)
May 6, 2019 AZ HCR 2009 Classifies Pornography as a Public Health Crises Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
April 19, 2019 WA SB 5001 Authorizes Composting of Human Remains Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 11)
June 22, 2018 PA HB 864 Amends Gaming and Gambling Laws Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 29)
June 21, 2018 NJ S 1074 Requires Public Access to Beaches Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 4)
May 9, 2018 LA HB 484 Authorizes Fantasy Sports Contests Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
May 2, 2018 IL SB 3249 Requires LGBT History in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
April 23, 2018 TN HB 2381 Authorizes 'Monument to the Unborn' Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 3)
April 12, 2018 NJ S 122 Authorizes Tax Credits for Film Production Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
March 16, 2018 MD SB 790 Repeals State Song Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 13)
March 9, 2018 WV HB 4006 Repeals Department of Education and Arts Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/15 SJM 4 Alleges Congress Should Implement Reparations for African Americans Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
4/15 SB 29 Prohibits Transgender Student's from Playing on Sports Teams That do Not Match their Birth Sex Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
4/09 SB 55 Prohibits Transgender Student Athletes from Participating on Sports Teams that do Not Match their Birth Sex Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 11)
4/08 SB 4 Requires the National Anthem be Played at All Sporting Events Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 2)
4/08 S 685 Authorizes College Athletes to be Paid for the Use of their Likeness Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 21)
3/25 SB 21-135 Prohibits the Use of Certain Animals in Traveling Animal Acts Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
3/17 SB 208 Prohibits Transgender Women and Girls from Participating in Women's Sports Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
3/16 SJR 11 Extends Honors to Rush Limbaugh Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
3/16 SJR 20 Establishes February 2021 as Black History Month and Honors Black Legislators Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (11 - 20)
3/08 HB 1217 Prohibits Athletes from Participating on Sports Teams that do not Match Their Birth Sex Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
1/06 HB 1 Repeals the State Flag Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
12/02 SB 334 Establishes Juneteenth as a Paid State Holiday Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
9/25 HB 5052 Establishes Juneteenth Day as a Legal Holiday Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
9/09 HB 2787 Authorizes Individual School Districts to Make Decisions Surrounding Activities and COVID-19 Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
7/30 S 971 Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
7/30 S 19 Establishes Juneteenth Day as a Public Holiday Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
7/28 S 2848 Establishes a Commission to Revise the State Seal and Motto Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
7/08 SB 599 Authorizes the Reopening of Bowling Alleys and Skating Rinks Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 21)
6/28 HB 1796 Authorizes the Redesign of the Mississippi State Flag Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 14)
6/26 SB 681 Requires Credit in the Arts in Order to Graduate Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 9)
4/22 SB 384 Amends Sports Betting Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
3/12 SF 134 Authorizes Liquor Licenses for Events Conducted at Rodeo Arenas Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
3/11 HB 1213 Requires Adding Ocoee Riots to School Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
3/11 HB 44 Requires the Observation of Mountain Daylight Time Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
3/07 SB 183 Authorizes Localities to Remove, Relocate, or Alter Monuments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 16)
3/06 HB 243 Requires Warning Labels on Pornography Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
3/03 S 2326 Establishes Film Production Tax Credits Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
2/11 SB 131 Establishes the Tim Tebow Act Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
1/30 SB 385 Repeals Ticket-Scalping Ban Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
1/22 SB 318 Reduces Number of Balloons that Can be Released per Hour Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
11/13 HB 4687 Repeals Prohibition of Deer-Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
8/19 AB 467 Requires Competitions Held on Public Lands to Offer Equal Prize Compensation Regardless of Gender Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
7/23 HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
6/26 SB 147 Establishes Hunting Regulations on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14)
6/18 LD 553 Authorizes Sports Betting "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15)
6/14 S 5864 Establishes the Television Diversity Tax Credit Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
6/12 SB 73 Repeals Daylight Savings Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
6/11 S 1637 Prohibits Possession of Certain Flamethrowers Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 13)
5/22 SB 206 Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5)
5/20 H 4243 Authorizes Tax Incentives for Carolina Panthers Training Facilities Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 17)
5/06 HCR 2009 Classifies Pornography as a Public Health Crises Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
4/19 SB 5001 Authorizes Composting of Human Remains Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 11)
6/22 HB 864 Amends Gaming and Gambling Laws Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 29)
6/21 S 1074 Requires Public Access to Beaches Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 4)
5/09 HB 484 Authorizes Fantasy Sports Contests Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
5/02 SB 3249 Requires LGBT History in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
4/23 HB 2381 Authorizes 'Monument to the Unborn' Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 3)
4/12 S 122 Authorizes Tax Credits for Film Production Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
3/16 SB 790 Repeals State Song Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 13)
3/09 HB 4006 Repeals Department of Education and Arts Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)

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