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
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/17 HB 1638 Prohibits Parental Exemptions of the Measles Vaccine Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
4/16 SB 1008 Amends Juvenile Offender Sentencing Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
4/11 SB 2075 Requires 5-Year-Olds to Attend Kindergarten Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16)
4/09 SB 21 Prohibits Smoking Under the Age of 21 Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
4/02 HB 1169 Prohibits Smoking Under the Age of 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13)
3/27 HB 1074 Increases the Smoking and Vaping Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
3/26 HB 83 Requires Recess for Students in Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
3/19 A 6449 Increases Number of Speed Cameras in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18)
3/19 SB 25 Prohibits Smoking Under the Age of 21 Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
3/14 HB 345 Prohibits Smoking Under the Age of 21 Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16)
3/11 SB 5434 Establishes Restrictions for Firearms in Daycare and Child Care Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
2/27 SB 348 Increases Age for Tobacco Sale Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
2/25 SB 21 Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24)
10/17 SB 554 Establishes Protections for Juvenile Human Trafficking Victims Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
8/21 SB 1192 Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
6/25 A 4110 Requires Seat Belts on School Buses Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
6/21 S 2711 Requires Child Abuse Training for Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
5/09 HB 5170 Authorizes Schools to Search Student Cell Phones Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
5/03 SB 284 Authorizes Child Placement Agencies to Deny Service Based on Religion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 15)
4/25 S 2353 Requires Educators to Report Sexual Abuse Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
4/19 S 103 Requires Regulations of Toxic Substances in Products Veto Override Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
4/11 SB 82 Requires Schools to Contact Parents for Unexcused Absences Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
4/03 S 2299 Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1)
3/21 HR 1865 Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
3/13 SB 1140 Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 9)

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