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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 29, 2019 | FL | HB 19 | Authorizes the Importation of Prescription Drugs from Canada | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| April 26, 2019 | FL | HB 1159 | Prohibits Municipal Governments from Requiring Approval for Tree Removal | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| April 24, 2019 | IA | SF 634 | Amends Process for Approving Local Government Budgets and Property Taxation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| April 18, 2019 | TN | HB 658 | Repeals City Police Oversight Boards Subpoena Power | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 6) |
| April 15, 2019 | IA | SF 615 | Prohibits the Attorney General From Joining Out-Of-State Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| April 11, 2019 | TX | SB 2485 | Prohibits Local Governments from Imposing Regulations on Private Businesses Regarding Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| April 11, 2019 | CA | SB 78 | Requires Citizens Purchase Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| April 11, 2019 | TX | SB 2487 | Prohibits Local Governments from Imposing Regulations on Private Businesses for Employee Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| April 9, 2019 | OR | SB 870 | Authorizes Interstate Agreement to Elect the President by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| April 5, 2019 | AR | SB 411 | Prohibits Local Government from Adopting "Sanctuary Policies" | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| April 3, 2019 | IL | HB 2988 | Prohibits Townships from Regulating Wind Farms Outside of City Zoning Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| March 29, 2019 | ND | HB 1381 | Prohibits Government Funded Gun Buyback Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12) |
| March 13, 2019 | WA | SB 5822 | Establishes a Work Group to Study Universal Health Care | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| March 7, 2019 | GA | SB 131 | Expands State Control over the Atlanta Airport | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 22) |
| March 6, 2019 | OK | SB 1001 | Prohibits Cities from Banning Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 9) |
| March 5, 2019 | HI | SB 557 | Establishes Hawaii as a Sanctuary State | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| Feb. 28, 2019 | VT | S 54 | Authorizes the Sale and Regulation of Cannabis | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| Feb. 25, 2019 | IN | SB 553 | Authorizes Public Use of Shore of Lake Michigan | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 7, 2019 | AZ | SB 1091 | Increases State Rainy-Day Fund by 10 Percent | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| Feb. 1, 2019 | WY | SF 57 | Establishes Deadline for Public Records Requests | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 2) |
| Jan. 31, 2019 | NJ | S 1073 | Authorizes Local Government Units to Establish Storm Water Utilities | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Jan. 9, 2019 | IL | SB 3531 | Increases Salary For Certain State Cabinet Positions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| Dec. 20, 2018 | MI | SB 1238 | Authorizes State Absentee Ballot Voting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| July 31, 2018 | MA | H 4857 | Increases State Clean Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
| July 18, 2018 | MA | H 4546 | Authorizes Creation of Community Benefit Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| June 28, 2018 | CA | AB 1838 | Prohibits Local Grocery Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | SB 255 | Increases Occupational Licensing Board Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| June 25, 2018 | NJ | A 4249 | Increases the Use of Hospital Admission Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| June 20, 2018 | ME | LD 1584 | Expands Local Food Economy by Promoting Local Foods Procurement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| May 31, 2018 | IL | SB 3109 | Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| May 29, 2018 | MI | SB 872 | Amends Statue of Limitations for Sexual Misconduct Cases Going Back until 1997 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
| May 29, 2018 | MI | SB 871 | Increases the Statute of Limitations for Sexual Assault Offenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| May 14, 2018 | MN | HF 2802 | Requires Municipalities That Contract Public Treatment Works to Comply with New State Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 26) |
| May 2, 2018 | IL | SB 2213 | Requires State Agencies to Adhere to Federal Regulations as of 2017 | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| April 26, 2018 | OK | HB 3036 | Authorizes the Governor power to appoint the State Commissioner of Health | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 11) |
| April 18, 2018 | NE | LB 496 | Amends and Establishes Requirements for Redevelopment Projects Under the Community Development Law | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 8) |
| April 12, 2018 | MI | SB 741 | Prohibits Breed-Specific Ordinances | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| April 10, 2018 | CO | SB 18-043 | Specifies Rules of Nominee Rejections | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| March 23, 2018 | National | HR 1625 | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32) |
| March 8, 2018 | WA | HB 3003 | Amends Various Police 'Use of Force' Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| March 6, 2018 | WY | HB 70 | Authorizes Cryptocurrency Regulations and Securities | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
| March 6, 2018 | WA | HB 2595 | Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| Feb. 22, 2018 | IN | SB 1 | Authorizes Sunday Alcohol Sales | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| Feb. 20, 2018 | WV | SB 415 | Authorizes Casino Sports Betting Upon Federal Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| Feb. 12, 2018 | MD | SB 138 | Requires Governor to Include Maryland as a Member of US Climate Alliance | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| Feb. 9, 2018 | WV | SJR 12 | Prohibits a Constitutional Right to Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| Feb. 1, 2018 | NJ | S 598 | Requires New Jersey to Join US Climate Alliance | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Jan. 31, 2018 | MS | SB 2570 | Prohibits Government Bans on Storage Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Jan. 18, 2018 | National | S 139 | FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |