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.


results per page:
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/24 AB 901 Limits a School District's Ability to Refer Students to Probation Officers Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
7/06 HB 2043 Authorizes Mental Health Services or Counseling to Minors without Parent or Guardian Participation Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 2)
6/26 SB 1111 Requires Certain Juvenile Offenders to Remain in Juvenile Hall Until Age 21 Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
6/13 SB 20-163 Amends the Definition for Nonmedical Exemptions for School Immunization Policies Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 13)
3/12 SB 810 Increases the Legal Smoking Age to 21 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
3/11 SF 50 Increases the Legal Smoking Age to 21 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
3/09 HB 174 Amends Kindergarten Minimum Age Start Date Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
3/07 SB 6313 Authorizes 16 and 17 Year Olds to Opt Out of the Automatic Voter Pre-Registration Process Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
3/06 HB 43 Amends Child Welfare Training Standards Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
2/28 SB 20-163 Amends the Definition for Nonmedical Exemptions for School Immunization Policies Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
2/11 LB 329 Amends Eligibility Provisions for Transitional Childcare Assistance Subsidies Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
2/06 SB 404 Requires Parental Consent for Minors Prior to Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
2/04 SB 449 Reduces the Age at Which Juveniles Can be Sent to Jail Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
1/16 H 4218 Requires School Districts Offer Breakfast After Instruction Begins Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
11/05 SB 49 Prohibits Prostitution Charges Against Minors Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
6/27 HB 79 Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6)
6/19 LD 1028 Increases Taxes on Tobacco Products Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/29 HB 2276 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 10)
5/24 LB 149 Increases State Smoking Age Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 0)
5/23 SB 360 Requires Religious Officials Report Minor Sex Abuse Evidence to Law Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
5/21 LD 1417 Expands Access to Head Start Programs "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 11)
5/20 SB 172 Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
5/02 HB 19-1120 Reduces the Age at Which a Child Can Seek Mental Health Treatment Without Parental Consent Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
5/01 HB 939 Authorizes Education Savings Account Vouchers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14)
4/29 HB 19-1278 Authorizes Primary Voting for 17 Year Olds and Increases Rural Voter Services Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)

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