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 6, 2019 | IL | SB 1596 | Authorizes Exceptions for Limits on Workers' Compensation Claims | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 16) |
| March 5, 2019 | MD | SB 285 | Prohibits Use of Foam Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 1, 2019 | MD | HB 166 | Increases State Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (96 - 44) |
| Feb. 28, 2019 | MT | HB 547 | Prohibits Employers from Stopping Employees from Discussing Wages | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 28, 2019 | CO | SB 19-1025 | Prohibits Employers from Asking About Employee Criminal History | Bill Passed - House (42 - 22) |
| Feb. 28, 2019 | AZ | HB 2523 | Authorizes Employers to Pay Less than Minimum Wage to Full-Time Students | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Feb. 28, 2019 | NH | HB 623 | Establishes Rates of Business Profits Tax | Bill Passed - House (200 - 141) |
| Feb. 27, 2019 | WV | SB 348 | Increases Age for Tobacco Sale Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2019 | ID | H 153 | Increases State Teacher Pay | Bill Passed - House (61 - 9) |
| Feb. 26, 2019 | WA | SB 5165 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Citizenship or Immigration Status | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| Feb. 25, 2019 | MT | SB 21 | Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| Feb. 22, 2019 | NM | HB 85 | Prohibits Local "Right to Work" Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (43 - 23) |
| Feb. 22, 2019 | KY | SB 18 | Establishes Employment Protections for Pregnant Women | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| Feb. 20, 2019 | WA | HB 1074 | Increases the Smoking and Vaping Age to 21 | Bill Passed - House (66 - 30) |
| Feb. 20, 2019 | IA | HF 262 | Prohibits Pyramid Promotional Schemes | Bill Passed - House (88 - 10) |
| Feb. 14, 2019 | IL | SB 1 | Increases Minimum Wage to $15 | Bill Passed - House (69 - 47) |
| Feb. 14, 2019 | NH | HB 253 | Prohibits Employers from Asking Job Applicants About Criminal History | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (213 - 142) |
| Feb. 14, 2019 | NH | SB 1 | Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 10) |
| Feb. 13, 2019 | VA | HB 2748 | Increases Age for Tobacco Sale Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| Feb. 7, 2019 | IL | SB 1 | Increases Minimum Wage to $15 | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 18) |
| Feb. 1, 2019 | VT | H 47 | Increases the E-Cigarette Sales Tax | Bill Passed - House (134 - 6) |
| Jan. 31, 2019 | NJ | A 15 | Increases State Minimum Wage to $15 per Hour | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Jan. 31, 2019 | NH | SB 2 | Increases the Amount of Funds Allocated for Job Training | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| Jan. 31, 2019 | NJ | A 15 | Increases State Minimum Wage to $15 per Hour | Bill Passed - House (52 - 25) |
| Jan. 23, 2019 | DE | HB 2 | Establishes Protections for Federal Workers During a Shutdown | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| Jan. 22, 2019 | CT | HB 5765 | Authorizes Interest-Free Loans for Federal Employees During Shutdown | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| Dec. 6, 2018 | National | PN 2170 | Nomination of Kathleen Laura Kraninger to be the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection | (50 - 49) |
| Dec. 4, 2018 | MI | SB 1171 | Amends Minimum Wage Increases | Bill Passed - House (60 - 48) |
| Nov. 29, 2018 | NC | SB 820 | Increases Incentives Cap for High-Wage Corporate Jobs | Bill Passed - House (78 - 23) |
| Nov. 29, 2018 | National | PN 2170 | Nomination of Kathleen Laura Kraninger to be the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection | Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
| Nov. 28, 2018 | MI | SB 1171 | Amends Minimum Wage Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Sept. 27, 2018 | NJ | A 4495 | Increases Corporate Business Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| Sept. 27, 2018 | NJ | A 4495 | Increases Corporate Business Tax | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| Sept. 27, 2018 | NJ | A 4496 | Amends Sales Tax Regulations | Bill Passed - House (43 - 35) |
| Aug. 24, 2018 | CA | SB 820 | Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements in Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Cases | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 8) |
| Aug. 23, 2018 | CA | SB 820 | Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements in Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Cases | Bill Passed - House (56 - 19) |
| July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4841 | Authorizes New Tax Regulations and Insurance Requirements for Short-Term Rentals | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8) |
| July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4841 | Authorizes New Tax Regulations and Insurance Requirements for Short-Term Rentals | Bill Passed - House (119 - 30) |
| July 19, 2018 | National | H Con Res 119 | Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy. | Bill Passed - House (229 - 180) |
| July 19, 2018 | MA | S 2599 | Requires Licensure and Oversight of "Bodyworks" Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| July 13, 2018 | National | HR 50 | Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (230 - 168) |
| July 1, 2018 | NJ | A 1753 | Requires Sales Tax on Transient Accommodations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 29) |
| July 1, 2018 | NJ | A 1753 | Requires Sales Tax on Transient Accommodations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| July 1, 2018 | DE | HB 360 | Requires Sexual Harassment Training for Supervisors of Large Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 6) |
| July 1, 2018 | DE | SB 170 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (21 - 18) |
| July 1, 2018 | NJ | S 822 | Requires Employers and Landlords to Hold Liability Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| June 30, 2018 | DE | SB 170 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | SB 220 | Limits Data Breach Liability in Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | SB 255 | Increases Occupational Licensing Board Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| June 22, 2018 | PA | HB 1840 | Amends Worker's Compensation Law | Bill Passed - House (115 - 80) |
| June 21, 2018 | NJ | A 4132 | Amends Nicotine Taxation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| June 20, 2018 | MA | H 4640 | Amends Minimum Wage and Paid-Leave Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 0) |
| June 20, 2018 | MA | H 4640 | Amends Minimum Wage and Paid-Leave Programs | Bill Passed - House (126 - 25) |
| June 13, 2018 | NC | HB 1055 | Amends Pension Benefit Regulations | Bill Passed - House (81 - 34) |
| June 13, 2018 | PA | HB 1810 | Requires Data Information Sharing for Hosting Platforms | Bill Passed - House (177 - 14) |
| June 7, 2018 | OH | HB 456 | Prohibits Required Overtime for Nurses | Bill Passed - House (77 - 11) |
| May 31, 2018 | RI | H 7420 | Prohibits the Rental or Leasing of Pets | Bill Passed - House (69 - 0) |
| May 30, 2018 | IL | SB 2892 | Requires Increase in Teacher Salaries | Bill Passed - House (65 - 47) |
| May 30, 2018 | CA | AB 3080 | Prohibits Nondisclosure Agreements Regarding Workplace Harassment | Bill Passed - House (47 - 25) |
| May 29, 2018 | CA | AB 2160 | Defines Playground Aides as Classified Employees | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| May 22, 2018 | National | S 2155 | Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (258 - 159) |
| May 17, 2018 | MO | SB 1007 | Authorizes Restrictions on Public-Sector Unions and Reduces Civil Service Law Coverage | Bill Passed - House (98 - 38) |
| May 17, 2018 | IL | SB 2892 | Requires Increase in Teacher Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 16) |
| May 16, 2018 | OH | SB 220 | Limits Data Breach Liability in Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| May 10, 2018 | LA | HB 206 | Authorizes Employment of Convicted Felons in Insurance Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| May 9, 2018 | National | HR 5645 | Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (230 - 185) |
| May 8, 2018 | VT | H 707 | Amends State Workplace Sexual Harassment Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 0) |
| April 26, 2018 | IL | HB 4595 | Establishes the Illinois Employers Mutual Insurance Company | Bill Passed - House (62 - 43) |
| April 26, 2018 | IL | HB 4595 | Establishes the Illinois Employers Mutual Insurance Company | Bill Passed - House (62 - 43) |
| April 16, 2018 | PA | SB 936 | Establishes Prescription Drug Formulary for Injured Employees | Bill Passed - House (101 - 92) |
| April 14, 2018 | KY | SB 78 | Amends Licensing for Electricians | Bill Passed - House (45 - 44) |
| April 11, 2018 | PA | HB 456 | Establishes Regulations for Tattoo Industry | Bill Passed - House (173 - 17) |
| April 7, 2018 | KS | HB 2482 | Prohibits Contracts with Businesses That Boycott Israel | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 32) |
| April 5, 2018 | MD | SB 639 | Establishes Disciplinary Hearing Procedures for Public School Employees | Veto Override Passed - House (89 - 49) |
| April 4, 2018 | TN | SB 1631 | Prohibits Renting Hotel Rooms for Less than 7 Hours | Bill Failed - House (38 - 45) |