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
Feb. 3, 2026 NM HB 9 Prohibits Governmental Entities From Entering Into Certain Immigration Enforcement Agreements and Using Public Property for Immigration-Related Detainment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
Feb. 3, 2026 AL SB 71 Prohibits State Entities From Adopting Stricter Environmental Regulations Than the Federal Government Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
Jan. 28, 2026 WA SB 5855 Prohibits Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement From Wearing Face Coverings Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
Jan. 26, 2026 IN SB 76 Expands Requirements for State and Local Government Entities to Cooperate with Federal Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 7)
Jan. 16, 2026 KY SB 7 Authorizes Certain Local Officials to Perform Driver's License Renewal and Other Identification Services Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1)
Jan. 15, 2026 AZ SB 1106 Amends State Tax Rates to Align With the Federal Rates Established in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
Jan. 7, 2026 National S J Res 86 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Air Plan Approval; South Dakota; Regional Haze Plan for the Second Implementation Period" Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 50)
Oct. 29, 2025 National S J Res 69 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Record of Decision for the Barred Owl Management Strategy; Washington, Oregon, and California" Motion Rejected - Senate (25 - 72)
Oct. 7, 2025 National H J Res 104 Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to "Miles City Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment". Motion Agreed - Senate (50 - 47)
Sept. 22, 2025 NC HB 926 Limits Local Governments' Authority to Regulate the Display of the U.S. Flag on Private Property Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
Aug. 12, 2025 TX SB 2 (Special Session) Requires the Texas Water Development Board to Identify High-Risk Flood Areas and Require Local Governments to Install Outdoor Warning Sirens in Those Locations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 0)
July 29, 2025 NC SB 153 Requires the Department of Public Safety to Cooperate with Federal Immigration Officials Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
June 18, 2025 ME LD 1971 Limits How Local Law Enforcement Agencies Assist Federal Immigration Officials Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
June 4, 2025 CT HB 7004 Authorizes Municipalities in Connecticut to Enter Into Interlocal Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
May 31, 2025 TX SB 8 Requires Local Law Enforcement Assist the Federal Government in Deportation Efforts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11)
May 29, 2025 CA SB 515 Requires Cities and Counties to Collect Specific Categories for Black or African American Ancestry when Collecting Demographic Data Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
May 15, 2025 NH HB 511 Prohibits Sanctuary City Policies in the State "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 8)
May 15, 2025 WI SB 56 Authorizes Private Water Utilities to Access Federal Funds for Loan Forgiveness for the Replacement of Lead Service Lines Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
May 13, 2025 IA HF 972 Requires the Iowa Health and Human Services Department (HHS) to Use No More than $150 Million Federal Funds to Create 115 New Medical Residency Slots at State Teaching Hospitals Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 4)
May 12, 2025 AK SB 26 Exempts the State from Daylight Savings Time Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 2)
May 2, 2025 ND HB 1298 Increases the State Interstate Speed Limit from 75 to 80 Miles Per Hour Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 20)
April 30, 2025 TX SB 2858 Authorizes Broader Powers to the State Attorney General to Penalize Cities and Counties that do not Comply with State Law Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
April 28, 2025 CO SB 25-205 Authorizes Federal Firearms Licensees to Request a Gun Serial Number Check from Law Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
April 28, 2025 OR SB 952 Requires the Governor to Appoint a United States Senator When a Vacancy in the Office Occurs Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
April 25, 2025 CO HB 25-1321 Appropriates $4 million to the Governor's Office for Legal Costs of Defending Colorado Against Trump Administration Efforts to Withhold Funding Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/03 HB 9 Prohibits Governmental Entities From Entering Into Certain Immigration Enforcement Agreements and Using Public Property for Immigration-Related Detainment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
2/03 SB 71 Prohibits State Entities From Adopting Stricter Environmental Regulations Than the Federal Government Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
1/28 SB 5855 Prohibits Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement From Wearing Face Coverings Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
1/26 SB 76 Expands Requirements for State and Local Government Entities to Cooperate with Federal Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 7)
1/16 SB 7 Authorizes Certain Local Officials to Perform Driver's License Renewal and Other Identification Services Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1)
1/15 SB 1106 Amends State Tax Rates to Align With the Federal Rates Established in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
1/07 S J Res 86 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Air Plan Approval; South Dakota; Regional Haze Plan for the Second Implementation Period" Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 50)
10/29 S J Res 69 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Record of Decision for the Barred Owl Management Strategy; Washington, Oregon, and California" Motion Rejected - Senate (25 - 72)
10/07 H J Res 104 Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to "Miles City Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment". Motion Agreed - Senate (50 - 47)
9/22 HB 926 Limits Local Governments' Authority to Regulate the Display of the U.S. Flag on Private Property Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
8/12 SB 2 (Special Session) Requires the Texas Water Development Board to Identify High-Risk Flood Areas and Require Local Governments to Install Outdoor Warning Sirens in Those Locations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 0)
7/29 SB 153 Requires the Department of Public Safety to Cooperate with Federal Immigration Officials Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
6/18 LD 1971 Limits How Local Law Enforcement Agencies Assist Federal Immigration Officials Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
6/04 HB 7004 Authorizes Municipalities in Connecticut to Enter Into Interlocal Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
5/31 SB 8 Requires Local Law Enforcement Assist the Federal Government in Deportation Efforts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11)
5/29 SB 515 Requires Cities and Counties to Collect Specific Categories for Black or African American Ancestry when Collecting Demographic Data Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
5/15 HB 511 Prohibits Sanctuary City Policies in the State "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 8)
5/15 SB 56 Authorizes Private Water Utilities to Access Federal Funds for Loan Forgiveness for the Replacement of Lead Service Lines Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
5/13 HF 972 Requires the Iowa Health and Human Services Department (HHS) to Use No More than $150 Million Federal Funds to Create 115 New Medical Residency Slots at State Teaching Hospitals Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 4)
5/12 SB 26 Exempts the State from Daylight Savings Time Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 2)
5/02 HB 1298 Increases the State Interstate Speed Limit from 75 to 80 Miles Per Hour Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 20)
4/30 SB 2858 Authorizes Broader Powers to the State Attorney General to Penalize Cities and Counties that do not Comply with State Law Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
4/28 SB 25-205 Authorizes Federal Firearms Licensees to Request a Gun Serial Number Check from Law Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
4/28 SB 952 Requires the Governor to Appoint a United States Senator When a Vacancy in the Office Occurs Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
4/25 HB 25-1321 Appropriates $4 million to the Governor's Office for Legal Costs of Defending Colorado Against Trump Administration Efforts to Withhold Funding Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)

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