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
June 13, 2023 AZ SB 1013 Extends Expanded Free Speech Protections to College Campuses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 5)
June 13, 2023 ME LD 279 Prohibits Public Entities from Discriminating Against Individuals "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (77 - 64)
June 13, 2023 DE SB 145 Expands the Limits on the Dollar Amount of Awards of Compensatory or Punitive Damages for Employment Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 1)
June 8, 2023 LA SB 159 Amends Previous Law to Automatically Classify 17-Year-Old Defendants as Adults Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 34)
June 8, 2023 LA HB 160 Authorizes Victims and Family in Juvenile Court Proceedings to Openly Share Information Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1)
June 8, 2023 LA SB 159 Amends Previous Law to Automatically Classify 17-Year-Old Defendants as Adults Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 11)
June 8, 2023 NY A 7691 Establishes a State Commission to Consider Reparations to Address Effects of Slavery Bill Passed - House (105 - 42)
June 7, 2023 ME LD 1423 Increase the Limits on Awards for Compensatory and Punitive Damages Under the Maine Human Rights Act Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
June 6, 2023 ME LD 1703 Expands the Equal Pay Act to Include Race "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (112 - 20)
June 6, 2023 NY S 1783 Establishes the LGBT and People Living with HIV and in Long-Term Care Facility Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 7)
June 5, 2023 NV AB 404 Authorizes Caps for Medical Malpractice Lawsuits to Increase Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
June 5, 2023 NV AB 452 Amends Regulations and Visitation Rights of Prisoners Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
June 5, 2023 NV SB 368 Rescinds Previous Racial Language Governing Housing Covenants Bill Passed - House (38 - 4)
June 5, 2023 NV SB 323 Repeals Discriminator Language in Housing Association Convenants and Other Purposes Bill Passed - House (38 - 4)
May 31, 2023 CA AB 280 Limits the Use of Solitary Confinement in California State Prisons Bill Passed - House (56 - 16)
May 26, 2023 NV AB 404 Authorizes Caps for Medical Malpractice Lawsuits to Increase Bill Passed - House (24 - 17)
May 25, 2023 CA SB 399 Prohibits an Employer from Requiring an Employee to Come to Certain Political Meetings or Religious Outings Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
May 24, 2023 NV SB 239 Authorizes Medical Aid-In-Dying for Terminally Ill Individuals Bill Passed - House (23 - 19)
May 23, 2023 MI SB 90 Prohibits Hair Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
May 17, 2023 MN SF 37 Authorizes Minnesota Voters to Vote On a Constitutional Amendment Providing For Equality Under the Law Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 23)
May 11, 2023 ME LD 53 Repeals Intentional Torts from Workers Compensation Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
May 11, 2023 CA SB 403 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Ancestry Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1)
May 10, 2023 MO SB 28 Amends Public Records Access for Missouri State Highway Patrol Bill Passed - House (119 - 29)
May 10, 2023 PA SB 245 Establishes New Rules Regarding Eligibility for Welfare Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
May 9, 2023 ME LD 53 Repeals Intentional Torts from Workers Compensation Exemptions Bill Passed - House (82 - 60)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/13 SB 1013 Extends Expanded Free Speech Protections to College Campuses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 5)
6/13 LD 279 Prohibits Public Entities from Discriminating Against Individuals "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (77 - 64)
6/13 SB 145 Expands the Limits on the Dollar Amount of Awards of Compensatory or Punitive Damages for Employment Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 1)
6/08 SB 159 Amends Previous Law to Automatically Classify 17-Year-Old Defendants as Adults Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 34)
6/08 HB 160 Authorizes Victims and Family in Juvenile Court Proceedings to Openly Share Information Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1)
6/08 SB 159 Amends Previous Law to Automatically Classify 17-Year-Old Defendants as Adults Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 11)
6/08 A 7691 Establishes a State Commission to Consider Reparations to Address Effects of Slavery Bill Passed - House (105 - 42)
6/07 LD 1423 Increase the Limits on Awards for Compensatory and Punitive Damages Under the Maine Human Rights Act Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
6/06 LD 1703 Expands the Equal Pay Act to Include Race "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (112 - 20)
6/06 S 1783 Establishes the LGBT and People Living with HIV and in Long-Term Care Facility Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 7)
6/05 AB 404 Authorizes Caps for Medical Malpractice Lawsuits to Increase Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
6/05 AB 452 Amends Regulations and Visitation Rights of Prisoners Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
6/05 SB 368 Rescinds Previous Racial Language Governing Housing Covenants Bill Passed - House (38 - 4)
6/05 SB 323 Repeals Discriminator Language in Housing Association Convenants and Other Purposes Bill Passed - House (38 - 4)
5/31 AB 280 Limits the Use of Solitary Confinement in California State Prisons Bill Passed - House (56 - 16)
5/26 AB 404 Authorizes Caps for Medical Malpractice Lawsuits to Increase Bill Passed - House (24 - 17)
5/25 SB 399 Prohibits an Employer from Requiring an Employee to Come to Certain Political Meetings or Religious Outings Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
5/24 SB 239 Authorizes Medical Aid-In-Dying for Terminally Ill Individuals Bill Passed - House (23 - 19)
5/23 SB 90 Prohibits Hair Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
5/17 SF 37 Authorizes Minnesota Voters to Vote On a Constitutional Amendment Providing For Equality Under the Law Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 23)
5/11 LD 53 Repeals Intentional Torts from Workers Compensation Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
5/11 SB 403 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Ancestry Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1)
5/10 SB 28 Amends Public Records Access for Missouri State Highway Patrol Bill Passed - House (119 - 29)
5/10 SB 245 Establishes New Rules Regarding Eligibility for Welfare Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
5/09 LD 53 Repeals Intentional Torts from Workers Compensation Exemptions Bill Passed - House (82 - 60)

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