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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.

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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
April 1, 2026 KY SB 251 Authorizes the Department of Corrections to Establish Internal Rules for Implementing the Death Penalty Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
March 31, 2026 KY SB 251 Authorizes the Department of Corrections to Establish Internal Rules for Implementing the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
March 16, 2026 KY SB 251 Authorizes the Department of Corrections to Establish Internal Rules for Implementing the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
Feb. 5, 2026 AL HB 41 Authorizes the Death Penalty for Individuals Convicted of Certain Sex Crimes Against a Minor Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1)
Jan. 27, 2026 AL HB 41 Authorizes the Death Penalty for Individuals Convicted of Certain Sex Crimes Against a Minor Bill Passed - House (73 - 6)
Sept. 23, 2025 NC HB 307 Amends Various Criminal Justice Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (81 - 31)
Sept. 22, 2025 NC HB 307 Amends Various Criminal Justice Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
June 30, 2025 DE HB 35 Prohibits the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
June 24, 2025 DE HB 35 Prohibits the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (28 - 12)
April 30, 2025 NC HB 307 Amends Various Criminal Justice Regulations Bill Passed - House (89 - 21)
March 26, 2025 TX SB 990 Authorizes the Death Penalty for Individuals Convicted of Killing Children Aged 10-15 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
March 24, 2025 ID H 380 Authorizes the Death Penalty for Individuals Convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
March 11, 2025 AR HB 1489 Authorizes the Use of Nitrogen Gas in State Executions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
March 5, 2025 ID H 37 Establishes Firing Squads as the Primary Method of Execution Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
March 4, 2025 AR HB 1489 Authorizes the Use of Nitrogen Gas in State Executions Bill Passed - House (67 - 23)
Feb. 6, 2025 ID H 37 Establishes Firing Squads as the Primary Method of Execution Bill Passed - House (58 - 11)
June 27, 2024 DE HB 70 Repeals the Death Penalty in Delaware Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
June 18, 2024 DE HB 70 Repeals the Death Penalty in Delaware Bill Passed - House (33 - 8)
April 24, 2024 OK SB 1702 Authorizes Protections for Businesses and Individuals Involved in the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (68 - 14)
April 22, 2024 LA SB 430 Repeals the Use of Nitrogen Gas as a Method of Execution Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
March 11, 2024 OK SB 1702 Authorizes Protections for Businesses and Individuals Involved in the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
Feb. 29, 2024 LA HB 6 Establishes Methods of Execution and Requires Confidentiality of Records of Information Related to the Execution of a Death Sentence Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 29)
Feb. 29, 2024 LA HB 6 Establishes Methods of Execution and Requires Confidentiality of Records of Information Related to the Execution of a Death Sentence Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
Feb. 13, 2024 ID H 515 Amends Penalties for Lewd Conduct with a Minor Bill Passed - House (57 - 11)
May 4, 2023 SC S 120 Authorizes the State to Buy Lethal Injection Drugs Without Disclosing Manufacturer Company Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
May 4, 2023 IL HB 3762 Repeals the Death Penalty for First Degree Murder Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
April 20, 2023 SC S 120 Authorizes the State to Buy Lethal Injection Drugs Without Disclosing Manufacturer Company Bill Passed - House (80 - 22)
March 24, 2023 IL HB 3762 Repeals the Death Penalty for First Degree Murder Bill Passed - House (66 - 36)
March 20, 2023 ID H 186 Authorizes Execution by Firing Squad Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
March 3, 2023 ID H 186 Authorizes Execution by Firing Squad Bill Passed - House (50 - 15)
May 5, 2021 SC S 200 Establishes the Firing Squad as an Alternative Method of Execution Bill Passed - House (66 - 43)
April 13, 2021 NV AB 395 Rescinds the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
March 2, 2021 SC S 200 Establishes the Electric Chair as the Default Method of Execution Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 11)
Feb. 22, 2021 VA SB 1165 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (57 - 43)
Feb. 3, 2021 VA SB 1165 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 13, 2020 NE LB 238 Requires Witnesses of Executions to Watch the Entire Proceeding Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
Feb. 26, 2020 CO SB 20-100 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (38 - 27)
Jan. 31, 2020 CO SB 20-100 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
June 19, 2019 OR SB 1013 Redefines the Crime of Aggravated Murder Bill Passed - House (33 - 26)
June 5, 2019 OH HB 136 Prohibits Individuals With Serious Mental Illnesses from Being Sentenced to Death Bill Passed - House (76 - 18)
May 23, 2019 NH HB 455 Repeals the Death Penalty Veto Override Passed - House (247 - 123)
May 21, 2019 OR SB 1013 Redefines the Crime of Aggravated Murder Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
April 11, 2019 NH HB 455 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6)
March 7, 2019 NH HB 455 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (279 - 88)
Jan. 29, 2019 SC S 176 Authorizes Death Penalty by Firing Squad Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
May 18, 2017 National HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
May 16, 2017 AL SB 187 Reduces Time to File Appeals for Death Row Inmates Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
May 9, 2017 DE HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
April 18, 2017 AL SB 12 Authorizes Use of Nitrogen in Death Penalty Executions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
April 20, 2016 VA HB 815 Amends Death Penalty Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/01 SB 251 Authorizes the Department of Corrections to Establish Internal Rules for Implementing the Death Penalty Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
3/31 SB 251 Authorizes the Department of Corrections to Establish Internal Rules for Implementing the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
3/16 SB 251 Authorizes the Department of Corrections to Establish Internal Rules for Implementing the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
2/05 HB 41 Authorizes the Death Penalty for Individuals Convicted of Certain Sex Crimes Against a Minor Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1)
1/27 HB 41 Authorizes the Death Penalty for Individuals Convicted of Certain Sex Crimes Against a Minor Bill Passed - House (73 - 6)
9/23 HB 307 Amends Various Criminal Justice Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (81 - 31)
9/22 HB 307 Amends Various Criminal Justice Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
6/30 HB 35 Prohibits the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
6/24 HB 35 Prohibits the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (28 - 12)
4/30 HB 307 Amends Various Criminal Justice Regulations Bill Passed - House (89 - 21)
3/26 SB 990 Authorizes the Death Penalty for Individuals Convicted of Killing Children Aged 10-15 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
3/24 H 380 Authorizes the Death Penalty for Individuals Convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
3/11 HB 1489 Authorizes the Use of Nitrogen Gas in State Executions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
3/05 H 37 Establishes Firing Squads as the Primary Method of Execution Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
3/04 HB 1489 Authorizes the Use of Nitrogen Gas in State Executions Bill Passed - House (67 - 23)
2/06 H 37 Establishes Firing Squads as the Primary Method of Execution Bill Passed - House (58 - 11)
6/27 HB 70 Repeals the Death Penalty in Delaware Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
6/18 HB 70 Repeals the Death Penalty in Delaware Bill Passed - House (33 - 8)
4/24 SB 1702 Authorizes Protections for Businesses and Individuals Involved in the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (68 - 14)
4/22 SB 430 Repeals the Use of Nitrogen Gas as a Method of Execution Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
3/11 SB 1702 Authorizes Protections for Businesses and Individuals Involved in the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
2/29 HB 6 Establishes Methods of Execution and Requires Confidentiality of Records of Information Related to the Execution of a Death Sentence Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 29)
2/29 HB 6 Establishes Methods of Execution and Requires Confidentiality of Records of Information Related to the Execution of a Death Sentence Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
2/13 H 515 Amends Penalties for Lewd Conduct with a Minor Bill Passed - House (57 - 11)
5/04 S 120 Authorizes the State to Buy Lethal Injection Drugs Without Disclosing Manufacturer Company Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
5/04 HB 3762 Repeals the Death Penalty for First Degree Murder Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
4/20 S 120 Authorizes the State to Buy Lethal Injection Drugs Without Disclosing Manufacturer Company Bill Passed - House (80 - 22)
3/24 HB 3762 Repeals the Death Penalty for First Degree Murder Bill Passed - House (66 - 36)
3/20 H 186 Authorizes Execution by Firing Squad Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
3/03 H 186 Authorizes Execution by Firing Squad Bill Passed - House (50 - 15)
5/05 S 200 Establishes the Firing Squad as an Alternative Method of Execution Bill Passed - House (66 - 43)
4/13 AB 395 Rescinds the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
3/02 S 200 Establishes the Electric Chair as the Default Method of Execution Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 11)
2/22 SB 1165 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (57 - 43)
2/03 SB 1165 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/13 LB 238 Requires Witnesses of Executions to Watch the Entire Proceeding Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
2/26 SB 20-100 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (38 - 27)
1/31 SB 20-100 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
6/19 SB 1013 Redefines the Crime of Aggravated Murder Bill Passed - House (33 - 26)
6/05 HB 136 Prohibits Individuals With Serious Mental Illnesses from Being Sentenced to Death Bill Passed - House (76 - 18)
5/23 HB 455 Repeals the Death Penalty Veto Override Passed - House (247 - 123)
5/21 SB 1013 Redefines the Crime of Aggravated Murder Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
4/11 HB 455 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6)
3/07 HB 455 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (279 - 88)
1/29 S 176 Authorizes Death Penalty by Firing Squad Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
5/18 HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
5/16 SB 187 Reduces Time to File Appeals for Death Row Inmates Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
5/09 HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
4/18 SB 12 Authorizes Use of Nitrogen in Death Penalty Executions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
4/20 HB 815 Amends Death Penalty Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
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