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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 24, 2020 | CA | AB 901 | Limits a School District's Ability to Refer Students to Probation Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| July 6, 2020 | HI | HB 2043 | Authorizes Mental Health Services or Counseling to Minors without Parent or Guardian Participation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 2) |
| June 26, 2020 | CA | SB 1111 | Requires Certain Juvenile Offenders to Remain in Juvenile Hall Until Age 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8) |
| June 13, 2020 | CO | SB 20-163 | Amends the Definition for Nonmedical Exemptions for School Immunization Policies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 13) |
| March 12, 2020 | FL | SB 810 | Increases the Legal Smoking Age to 21 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| March 11, 2020 | WY | SF 50 | Increases the Legal Smoking Age to 21 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| March 9, 2020 | WY | HB 174 | Amends Kindergarten Minimum Age Start Date | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 7, 2020 | WA | SB 6313 | Authorizes 16 and 17 Year Olds to Opt Out of the Automatic Voter Pre-Registration Process | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| March 6, 2020 | FL | HB 43 | Amends Child Welfare Training Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
| Feb. 28, 2020 | CO | SB 20-163 | Amends the Definition for Nonmedical Exemptions for School Immunization Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| Feb. 11, 2020 | NE | LB 329 | Amends Eligibility Provisions for Transitional Childcare Assistance Subsidies | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| Feb. 6, 2020 | FL | SB 404 | Requires Parental Consent for Minors Prior to Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 4, 2020 | IN | SB 449 | Reduces the Age at Which Juveniles Can be Sent to Jail | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| Jan. 16, 2020 | MA | H 4218 | Requires School Districts Offer Breakfast After Instruction Begins | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0) |
| Nov. 5, 2019 | WI | SB 49 | Prohibits Prostitution Charges Against Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| June 27, 2019 | DE | HB 79 | Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| June 19, 2019 | ME | LD 1028 | Increases Taxes on Tobacco Products | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 29, 2019 | IL | HB 2276 | Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 10) |
| May 24, 2019 | NE | LB 149 | Increases State Smoking Age | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 0) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | SB 360 | Requires Religious Officials Report Minor Sex Abuse Evidence to Law Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| May 21, 2019 | ME | LD 1417 | Expands Access to Head Start Programs | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 11) |
| May 20, 2019 | LA | SB 172 | Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| May 2, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1120 | Reduces the Age at Which a Child Can Seek Mental Health Treatment Without Parental Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 1, 2019 | TN | HB 939 | Authorizes Education Savings Account Vouchers | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14) |
| April 29, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1278 | Authorizes Primary Voting for 17 Year Olds and Increases Rural Voter Services | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 17, 2019 | WA | HB 1638 | Prohibits Parental Exemptions of the Measles Vaccine | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| April 16, 2019 | OR | SB 1008 | Amends Juvenile Offender Sentencing | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| April 11, 2019 | IL | SB 2075 | Requires 5-Year-Olds to Attend Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| April 9, 2019 | TX | SB 21 | Prohibits Smoking Under the Age of 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| April 2, 2019 | MD | HB 1169 | Prohibits Smoking Under the Age of 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| March 27, 2019 | WA | HB 1074 | Increases the Smoking and Vaping Age to 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12) |
| March 26, 2019 | GA | HB 83 | Requires Recess for Students in Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| March 19, 2019 | NY | A 6449 | Increases Number of Speed Cameras in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18) |
| March 19, 2019 | DE | SB 25 | Prohibits Smoking Under the Age of 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| March 14, 2019 | IL | HB 345 | Prohibits Smoking Under the Age of 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| March 11, 2019 | WA | SB 5434 | Establishes Restrictions for Firearms in Daycare and Child Care Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| Feb. 27, 2019 | WV | SB 348 | Increases Age for Tobacco Sale Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| Feb. 25, 2019 | MT | SB 21 | Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| Oct. 17, 2018 | PA | SB 554 | Establishes Protections for Juvenile Human Trafficking Victims | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0) |
| Aug. 21, 2018 | CA | SB 1192 | Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| June 25, 2018 | NJ | A 4110 | Requires Seat Belts on School Buses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
| June 21, 2018 | NJ | S 2711 | Requires Child Abuse Training for Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
| May 9, 2018 | CT | HB 5170 | Authorizes Schools to Search Student Cell Phones | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| May 3, 2018 | KS | SB 284 | Authorizes Child Placement Agencies to Deny Service Based on Religion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 15) |
| April 25, 2018 | RI | S 2353 | Requires Educators to Report Sexual Abuse | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0) |
| April 19, 2018 | VT | S 103 | Requires Regulations of Toxic Substances in Products | Veto Override Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| April 11, 2018 | OH | SB 82 | Requires Schools to Contact Parents for Unexcused Absences | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| April 3, 2018 | RI | S 2299 | Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1) |
| March 21, 2018 | National | HR 1865 | Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2) |
| March 13, 2018 | OK | SB 1140 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 9) |