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 11, 2017 | WA | HB 1493 | Regulates Commercial Use of Biometric Data | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| April 11, 2017 | TX | SB 75 | Requires Parental Consent for Minors to Join Labor Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| April 7, 2017 | KS | SB 70 | Amends Ride Inspection Laws for Amusement Parks | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| April 5, 2017 | WI | SB 76 | Reduces Regulations of High-Capacity Water Wells | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| April 3, 2017 | MD | HB 1 | Requires Certain Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| March 30, 2017 | NC | HB 142 | Establishes Provisions Related to Gender-Based Bathroom Use | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| March 30, 2017 | NC | HB 142 | Establishes Provisions Related to Gender-Based Bathroom Use | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| March 27, 2017 | IA | HF 518 | Requires Certain Restrictions Regarding Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| March 27, 2017 | IA | HF 295 | Prohibits Localities from Increasing Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| March 23, 2017 | ID | H 139 | Reduces the Number of Training Hours Required for Cosmetologists | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| March 21, 2017 | IA | SF 489 | Authorizes the Sale of Consumer Fireworks | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| March 2, 2017 | MO | SB 43 | Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| March 1, 2017 | AZ | SB 1122 | Authorizes Sale of Firearms without Background Checks | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Feb. 27, 2017 | WV | SB 330 | Repeals Provisions from the Workplace Freedom Act | (23 - 11) |
| Feb. 16, 2017 | IA | HF 291 | Limits Collective Bargaining for Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Feb. 2, 2017 | WY | SF 153 | Prohibits Discriminatory Practices in the Workplace | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| Feb. 2, 2017 | KS | SB 30 | Establishes Tax Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
| Jan. 19, 2017 | NH | SB 11 | Prohibits Collective Bargaining Agreements That Require Employees to Join A Labor Union | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 11) |
| Sept. 14, 2016 | MO | HB 1870 | Reauthorizes Small Business Tax Deductions | Veto Override Failed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 1241 | Amends Current Provisions of Labor Contracts | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 654 | Authorizes Paid Family Leave | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 654 | Authorizes Paid Family Leave | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Aug. 22, 2016 | CA | AB 1843 | Prohibits Employers from Asking Applicants to Disclose Criminal History | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Aug. 22, 2016 | CA | AB 1066 | Requires Overtime Pay for Farmworkers | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Aug. 15, 2016 | CA | AB 1687 | Requires Entertainment Database Websites to Remove Actor's Age Upon Request | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| July 7, 2016 | National | S 764 | Establishes Labeling Standards for Genetically Modified Foods | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (63 - 30) |
| June 17, 2016 | RI | S 2864 | Establishes Regulations for Rideshare Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| May 25, 2016 | OH | HB 180 | Prohibits Local Hiring Requirement in Labor Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| May 25, 2016 | OH | HB 180 | Prohibits Local Hiring Requirement in Labor Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| May 25, 2016 | OH | SB 331 | Establishes Regulations for Dog Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 5, 2016 | NH | HB 1252 | Authorizes Employers to Pay Wages Biweekly | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 12) |
| May 4, 2016 | OH | SB 152 | Prohibits Local Hiring Requirement in Labor Contracts | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (8 - 25) |
| May 4, 2016 | OH | SB 152 | Prohibits Local Hiring Requirement in Labor Contracts | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (8 - 25) |
| May 4, 2016 | AZ | SB 1400 | Amends Review Process for County Water Supply | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| April 20, 2016 | NE | LB 947 | Authorizes Certain Immigrants to Qualify for Professional Licenses | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 13) |
| April 13, 2016 | NE | LB 947 | Authorizes Certain Immigrants to Qualify for Professional Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| April 12, 2016 | HI | HB 2501 | Authorizes Extension for Water Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
| April 12, 2016 | LA | SB 254 | Expands Equal Pay Protections | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| April 8, 2016 | MD | SB 1112 | Establishes Tax Credit for Certain Aerospace Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13) |
| April 7, 2016 | MD | HB 1003 | Prohibits Wage Discrimination on Basis of Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| April 7, 2016 | National | S Amdt 3483 | Establishes Standards for Passenger Space on Airplanes | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 54) |
| April 6, 2016 | MO | SCR 46 | Prohibits a Wage Range Increase for Personal Care Attendants | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| March 31, 2016 | CA | SB 3 | Increases Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| March 31, 2016 | CA | SB 3 | Increases Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| March 30, 2016 | AK | SB 1 | Prohibits Smoking in Public | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| March 23, 2016 | AK | SB 125 | Amends Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Board of Directors | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| March 17, 2016 | NE | LB 83 | Prohibits Wage Discrimination in Small Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| March 17, 2016 | KY | SB 297 | Repeals State Coal Mine Inspections | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| March 15, 2016 | ID | H 372 | Prohibits Local Limitation on Use of Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 15, 2016 | WI | SB 239 | Amends Regulations for High Capacity Wells | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |