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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 12, 2016 | National | HR 2017 | Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (266 - 144) |
| Feb. 10, 2016 | MO | SCR 46 | Prohibits a Wage Range Increase for Personal Care Attendants | Joint Resolution Passed - House (125 - 34) |
| Feb. 10, 2016 | VA | HB 1371 | Prohibits Cities from Increasing Minimum Wage or Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 34) |
| Feb. 10, 2016 | AZ | HB 2131 | Prohibits Local Governments from Taxing Disposable Bags | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| Feb. 10, 2016 | VA | HB 1371 | Prohibits Cities from Increasing Minimum Wage or Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 34) |
| Feb. 8, 2016 | KY | HB 196 | Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds | Bill Passed - House (55 - 37) |
| Feb. 4, 2016 | WV | SB 1 | Prohibits Employers from Requiring Union Membership | Bill Passed - House (54 - 46) |
| Feb. 4, 2016 | CO | HB 1002 | Authorizes Leave for Academic Activities | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| Feb. 3, 2016 | IN | HB 1004 | Authorizes Higher Wages for Hard-to-Fill Teaching Positions | Bill Passed - House (57 - 42) |
| Feb. 3, 2016 | ID | H 372 | Prohibits Local Limitation on Use of Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| Feb. 2, 2016 | NY | A 3870 | Requires Employers to Provide Paid Family Leave | Bill Passed - House (97 - 44) |
| Jan. 29, 2016 | NM | HB 195 | Specifies Employer is not Liable for Medical Marijuana Workers' Compensation Costs | Bill Passed - House (33 - 29) |
| Jan. 27, 2016 | WV | HB 4005 | Repeals Hourly Wage Requirements for Workers on Public Improvement Projects | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
| Dec. 1, 2015 | National | S J Res 23 | A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" | Bill Passed - House (235 - 188) |
| Nov. 17, 2015 | National | HR 511 | Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (249 - 177) |
| July 23, 2015 | National | HR 1599 | Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (275 - 150) |
| July 9, 2015 | IL | HB 3593 | Limits Community College Severance Packages | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 34) |
| July 3, 2015 | OR | SB 478 | Requires Manufacturers to Disclose Certain Chemicals Used in Children's Products | Bill Passed - House (43 - 17) |
| June 25, 2015 | NJ | A 4018 | Authorizes Lottery Courier Services | Bill Passed - House (54 - 20) |
| June 24, 2015 | NH | HB 550 | Authorizes Businesses to Not Declare Profits from Interest Sales | Conference Report Adopted - House (202 - 145) |
| June 23, 2015 | IL | HB 3593 | Limits Community College Severance Packages | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (51 - 44) |
| June 23, 2015 | RI | H 5364 | Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| June 23, 2015 | RI | H 5364 | Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| June 16, 2015 | OR | HB 3025 | Prohibits Asking Job Applicants' Criminal History | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 25) |
| June 12, 2015 | OR | SB 454 | Requires Employers to Offer Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - House (33 - 24) |
| June 12, 2015 | OR | SB 454 | Requires Employers to Offer Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - House (33 - 24) |
| June 11, 2015 | NJ | A 3981 | Establishes Alternative Property Tax Payments for Casinos | Bill Passed - House (52 - 20) |
| June 10, 2015 | National | HR 2393 | Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (300 - 131) |
| June 4, 2015 | IL | HB 1287 | Amends Certain Workers' Compensation Programs | Bill Passed - House (63 - 39) |
| June 4, 2015 | IL | HB 1287 | Amends Certain Workers' Compensation Programs | Bill Passed - House (63 - 39) |
| June 3, 2015 | NC | HB 405 | Prohibits the Recording of Certain Employer Property | Veto Override Passed - House (79 - 36) |
| June 3, 2015 | NC | HB 405 | Prohibits the Recording of Certain Employer Property | Veto Override Passed - House (79 - 36) |
| June 2, 2015 | RI | H 5074 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (59 - 13) |
| June 2, 2015 | RI | H 5074 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (59 - 13) |
| June 1, 2015 | National | HR 1335 | Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act | Bill Passed - House (225 - 152) |
| May 22, 2015 | NV | SB 193 | Increases Minimum Wage and Amends Overtime Definition | Bill Passed - House (22 - 20) |
| May 22, 2015 | NV | SB 193 | Increases Minimum Wage and Amends Overtime Definition | Bill Passed - House (22 - 20) |
| May 21, 2015 | National | HR 2262 | Spurring Private Aerospace Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (284 - 133) |
| May 20, 2015 | MI | HB 4052 | Amends Government Regulation of Employment Conditions | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| May 20, 2015 | National | HR 880 | American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (274 - 145) |
| May 14, 2015 | CT | HB 6283 | Prohibits E-Cigarettes in Public Spaces | Bill Passed - House (99 - 46) |
| May 11, 2015 | CA | AB 202 | Requires Professional Sports Teams to Classify Cheerleaders Employees | Bill Passed - House (56 - 23) |
| May 7, 2015 | MI | HB 4467 | Authorizes Private High-Security Prisons | Bill Passed - House (57 - 53) |
| May 7, 2015 | LA | HB 805 | Reduces Corporate Inventory Tax Refunds | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |
| May 5, 2015 | KS | SB 117 | Requires Insurance Coverage for Transportation Network Companies | Veto Override Passed - House (96 - 25) |
| May 4, 2015 | NY | A 7257 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (97 - 43) |
| May 4, 2015 | NY | A 7257 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (97 - 43) |
| May 1, 2015 | HI | HB 1075 | Authorizes Public-private Partnership of Hospital Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - House (34 - 16) |
| April 28, 2015 | CO | HB 1346 | Amends Taxation on Certain Corporate Income | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| April 27, 2015 | NY | A 6937 | Amends Existing Labor Laws | Bill Passed - House (97 - 44) |