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 12, 2018 | NJ | A 3686 | Increases State Protections for Labor Unions | Bill Passed - House (50 - 22) |
| April 12, 2018 | ME | LD 912 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors | Bill Passed - House (76 - 68) |
| April 12, 2018 | MI | HB 4891 | Authorizes Parents to Monitor Child's Communications | Bill Passed - House (105 - 3) |
| April 11, 2018 | MO | SJR 27 | Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| April 3, 2018 | MD | HB 447 | Establishes Pretrial Services Program Grant Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 11) |
| March 29, 2018 | DE | HB 399 | Amends State Constitution to Provide Equal Rights | Bill Passed - House (34 - 5) |
| March 26, 2018 | NJ | A 1827 | Requires Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - House (50 - 24) |
| March 26, 2018 | NJ | S 1036 | Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| March 22, 2018 | MD | HB 532 | Establishes Election Day Voter Registration and Same-Day Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 21, 2018 | National | HR 1865 | Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2) |
| March 14, 2018 | National | HR 4909 | STOP School Violence Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (407 - 10) |
| March 13, 2018 | PA | HB 153 | Decreases Size of State Legislature | Bill Passed - House (101 - 84) |
| March 8, 2018 | WA | HB 3003 | Amends Various Police 'Use of Force' Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| March 8, 2018 | MD | HB 532 | Establishes Election Day Voter Registration and Same-Day Voting | Bill Passed - House (91 - 46) |
| March 7, 2018 | NH | HB 1319 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (195 - 129) |
| March 7, 2018 | WA | HB 3003 | Amends Various Police 'Use of Force' Laws | Bill Passed - House (73 - 25) |
| March 6, 2018 | WA | HB 2578 | Establishes Source-of-Income Housing Non-Discrimination Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 31) |
| March 3, 2018 | OR | HB 4111 | Authorizes DMV to Renew and Replace Limited-Term Driver's Licenses for DACA Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 22) |
| March 1, 2018 | WA | HB 2578 | Establishes Source-of-Income Housing Non-Discrimination Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| Feb. 28, 2018 | WA | HB 1513 | Authorizes Automatic Voter Pre-Registration for 16 and 17 Year Old Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Feb. 27, 2018 | OR | HB 4135 | Authorizes Healthcare Providers to Make Decisions for End of Life Patients | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| Feb. 27, 2018 | WA | SB 5996 | Prohibits Employers from Requiring Sexual Assault Nondisclosure Agreements | Bill Passed - House (98 - 0) |
| Feb. 27, 2018 | National | HR 1865 | Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (388 - 25) |
| Feb. 26, 2018 | NJ | S 493 | Authorizes Transgender Death Certificates | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| Feb. 16, 2018 | OR | HB 4135 | Authorizes Healthcare Providers to Make Decisions for End of Life Patients | Bill Passed - House (35 - 25) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | National | S Amdt 1958 | Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | National | S Amdt 1955 | Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | National | S Amdt 1948 | Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | National | S Amdt 1959 | Secure and Succeed Act (Grassley Amendment) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (39 - 60) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | National | HR 620 | ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (225 - 192) |
| Feb. 12, 2018 | WA | HB 1513 | Authorizes Automatic Voter Pre-Registration for 16 and 17 Year Old Individuals | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| Feb. 8, 2018 | NH | HB 587 | Prohibits Providing Conversion Therapy to Minors | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (179 - 171) |
| Jan. 19, 2018 | WA | SB 5766 | Requires School Districts to Adopt Transgender Student Policies and Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Jan. 18, 2018 | National | S 139 | FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| Jan. 18, 2018 | CA | AB 282 | Amends the End of Life Option Act | Bill Passed - House (45 - 17) |
| Jan. 11, 2018 | National | S 139 | FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 164) |
| Jan. 3, 2018 | NH | HB 372 | Amends Definition of Residency for Voting Purposes | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9) |
| Nov. 7, 2017 | WI | AB 165 | Authorizes Role in a Constitutional Convention | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| June 29, 2017 | NC | SJR 36 | Authorizes Participation in a Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Failed - House (66 - 45) |
| June 21, 2017 | WI | AB 299 | Authorizes Free Speech on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (61 - 36) |
| June 19, 2017 | NJ | S 3067 | Prohibits Transgender Discrimination in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| June 14, 2017 | WI | AB 165 | Authorizes Role in a Constitutional Convention | Bill Passed - House (58 - 37) |
| May 31, 2017 | IL | HB 1785 | Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| May 30, 2017 | IL | HB 2462 | Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| May 25, 2017 | IL | HB 1785 | Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People | Bill Passed - House |
| May 24, 2017 | LA | HB 269 | Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (66 - 26) |
| May 11, 2017 | AL | SB 200 | Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| May 9, 2017 | AZ | SB 1384 | Prohibits Censorship of Student Media | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 0) |
| May 8, 2017 | AZ | SB 1384 | Prohibits Censorship of Student Media | Bill Passed - House (41 - 19) |
| May 8, 2017 | MO | SB 43 | Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings | Bill Passed - House (98 - 30) |
| May 2, 2017 | CT | HB 6695 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (141 - 8) |
| April 27, 2017 | TX | HB 89 | Prohibits Contracts with Companies Boycotting Israel | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| April 27, 2017 | MI | SB 163 | Authorizes "Choose Life" License Plates | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| April 26, 2017 | LA | SB 16 | Provides Parole Eligibility to Juveniles Sentenced to Life in Prison | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| April 26, 2017 | IL | HB 2462 | Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History | Bill Passed - House (91 - 24) |
| April 26, 2017 | NC | HB 527 | Establishes Sanctions for Disruptive Student Protest | (88 - 32) |
| April 24, 2017 | NE | LB 75 | Restores Voting Rights Upon Completion of a Felony Sentence | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| April 21, 2017 | VT | H 333 | Requires Gender-Neutral Bathrooms | Bill Passed - House (123 - 19) |
| April 17, 2017 | AZ | SB 1406 | Limits Applicability of Disability Lawsuits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| April 12, 2017 | VT | HB 492 | Establishes a Board for Racial Justice in Policing | Bill Passed - House (120 - 25) |
| April 11, 2017 | AL | SB 193 | Authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian Church to Form a Police Force | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
| April 7, 2017 | WA | HB 1595 | Establishes Fees for Printed and Digital Copies of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 4) |
| April 5, 2017 | SC | H 3930 | Amends Handgun Carry Rules | Bill Passed - House (64 - 46) |
| April 5, 2017 | PA | HB 741 | Reinstates Mandatory Minimum Sentences | Bill Passed - House (122 - 67) |
| April 4, 2017 | TX | SB 576 | Establishes Reporting Standards for Sexual Assault on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1) |
| April 3, 2017 | NE | LB 46 | Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to Create a "Choose Life" Specialty License Plate | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 5) |
| March 31, 2017 | MT | HB 595 | Amends State Constitution to Define "Person" | Amendment Adopted - House (58 - 41) |
| March 30, 2017 | MN | HF 3 | Requires REAL ID Compliance | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 54) |
| March 30, 2017 | MN | HF 3 | Requires REAL ID Compliance | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 7) |
| March 28, 2017 | ND | HB 1310 | Amends Concealed Carry Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 27) |
| March 23, 2017 | IA | HF 516 | Requires Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 23, 2017 | FL | SB 436 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| March 23, 2017 | VT | S 96 | Establishes Protections For Journalists | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0) |
| March 17, 2017 | NM | SB 374 | Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch | Bill Passed - House (60 - 0) |
| March 15, 2017 | NM | SB 121 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (44 - 23) |