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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 24, 2022 WI SB 935 Amends Various Election Fraud Laws Bill Passed - House (56 - 38)
June 6, 2019 OR HB 2983 Requires Disclosure of Organizations Giving Certain Monetary Donations to Campaigns Bill Passed - House (39 - 17)
March 25, 2019 ID S 1113 Amends Campaign Finance Regulations Bill Passed - House (52 - 15)
Jan. 14, 2019 NY A 776 Limits Campaign Contributions by Closing LLC Loophole Bill Failed - House (133 - 13)
Feb. 18, 2016 NC HB 2 Amends Congressional Primary Election Date Bill Passed - House (71 - 32)
March 28, 2015 MT SB 289 Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
Aug. 11, 2014 FL SB 2-A Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (71 - 38)
May 6, 2014 CT SB 455 Amends the Funding for the Public Campaign Finance Program Bill Passed - House (102 - 40)
March 20, 2014 WI SB 655 Amends Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws Bill Passed - House (54 - 37)
Dec. 11, 2013 MI SB 661 Amends Campaign Finance Regulations Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
Dec. 11, 2013 National HR 2019 Kids First Research Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (295 - 103)
April 24, 2013 FL HB 569 Amends State Campaign Finance Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34)
March 19, 2013 KS HB 2022 Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 54)
Oct. 18, 2012 NJ AR 86 Opposes the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United Versus Federal Elections Commission Resolution Passed - House (49 - 23)
Feb. 15, 2012 AK HB 311 Amends Requirements for Electronic Campaign Finance Disclosure Conference Report Adopted - House (26 - 5)
Feb. 15, 2012 MI HB 5085 Prohibits public employers from deducting political contributions from employee paychecks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 43)
Jan. 26, 2012 UT HB 50 Repeals the Election Campaign Fund Bill Passed - House (51 - 20)
May 21, 2011 TN SB 1915 Increases Contribution Limits to Campaigns Bill Passed - House (65 - 20)
March 2, 2011 WV HB 2732 Increased Fees for Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (65 - 35)
Feb. 24, 2011 KS HB 2130 Prohibits Union Dues for Political Activities Bill Passed - House (75 - 46)
Jan. 26, 2011 National HR 359 Abolishing Federal Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns Bill Passed - House (239 - 160)
June 24, 2010 National HR 5175 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Bill Passed - House (219 - 206)
April 25, 2008 VT S 278 Campaign Finance Limitations Veto Override Failed - House (99 - 51)
April 5, 2006 National HR 513 527 Reform Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (218 - 209)
Feb. 14, 2002 National HR 2356 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Bill Passed - House (240 - 189)
June 28, 2000 National HR 4762 '527' Political Groups Bill Passed - House (385 - 39)
Sept. 14, 1999 National HR 417 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Passed - House (252 - 177)
Aug. 6, 1998 National H Amdt 862 Federal Campaign Finance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222)
Aug. 6, 1998 National HR 2183 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Passed - House (252 - 179)
Aug. 3, 1998 National H Amdt 690 Shays Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186)
July 20, 1998 National H Amdt 716 Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131)
June 17, 1998 National H Amdt 688 Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201)
March 30, 1998 National HR 3581 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Failed - House (74 - 337)
March 30, 1998 National HR 3582 Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1998 Bill Passed - House (405 - 6)
July 25, 1996 National HR 3820 Campaign Finance Reform Bill Failed - House (162 - 259)
Nov. 22, 1993 National HR 3 Congressional Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1993 Bill Passed - House (255 - 175)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/24 SB 935 Amends Various Election Fraud Laws Bill Passed - House (56 - 38)
6/06 HB 2983 Requires Disclosure of Organizations Giving Certain Monetary Donations to Campaigns Bill Passed - House (39 - 17)
3/25 S 1113 Amends Campaign Finance Regulations Bill Passed - House (52 - 15)
1/14 A 776 Limits Campaign Contributions by Closing LLC Loophole Bill Failed - House (133 - 13)
2/18 HB 2 Amends Congressional Primary Election Date Bill Passed - House (71 - 32)
3/28 SB 289 Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
8/11 SB 2-A Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (71 - 38)
5/06 SB 455 Amends the Funding for the Public Campaign Finance Program Bill Passed - House (102 - 40)
3/20 SB 655 Amends Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws Bill Passed - House (54 - 37)
12/11 SB 661 Amends Campaign Finance Regulations Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
12/11 HR 2019 Kids First Research Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (295 - 103)
4/24 HB 569 Amends State Campaign Finance Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34)
3/19 HB 2022 Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 54)
10/18 AR 86 Opposes the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United Versus Federal Elections Commission Resolution Passed - House (49 - 23)
2/15 HB 311 Amends Requirements for Electronic Campaign Finance Disclosure Conference Report Adopted - House (26 - 5)
2/15 HB 5085 Prohibits public employers from deducting political contributions from employee paychecks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 43)
1/26 HB 50 Repeals the Election Campaign Fund Bill Passed - House (51 - 20)
5/21 SB 1915 Increases Contribution Limits to Campaigns Bill Passed - House (65 - 20)
3/02 HB 2732 Increased Fees for Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (65 - 35)
2/24 HB 2130 Prohibits Union Dues for Political Activities Bill Passed - House (75 - 46)
1/26 HR 359 Abolishing Federal Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns Bill Passed - House (239 - 160)
6/24 HR 5175 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Bill Passed - House (219 - 206)
4/25 S 278 Campaign Finance Limitations Veto Override Failed - House (99 - 51)
4/05 HR 513 527 Reform Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (218 - 209)
2/14 HR 2356 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Bill Passed - House (240 - 189)
6/28 HR 4762 '527' Political Groups Bill Passed - House (385 - 39)
9/14 HR 417 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Passed - House (252 - 177)
8/06 H Amdt 862 Federal Campaign Finance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222)
8/06 HR 2183 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Passed - House (252 - 179)
8/03 H Amdt 690 Shays Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186)
7/20 H Amdt 716 Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131)
6/17 H Amdt 688 Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201)
3/30 HR 3581 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Failed - House (74 - 337)
3/30 HR 3582 Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1998 Bill Passed - House (405 - 6)
7/25 HR 3820 Campaign Finance Reform Bill Failed - House (162 - 259)
11/22 HR 3 Congressional Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1993 Bill Passed - House (255 - 175)

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