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
March 15, 2017 FL SB 128 Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
March 13, 2017 MO HB 441 Establishes Protections for Student Journalists Bill Passed - House (148 - 6)
March 10, 2017 SC H 3643 Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy Bill Passed - House (103 - 3)
March 10, 2017 SC H 3643 Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy Bill Passed - House (103 - 3)
March 9, 2017 NM SB 374 Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
March 9, 2017 IA HF 516 Requires Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
March 8, 2017 MN HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 38)
March 6, 2017 KY SB 17 Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
March 2, 2017 MO SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
Feb. 28, 2017 WA SB 5008 Modifies Legislation Related to REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
Feb. 23, 2017 MN HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - House (72 - 58)
Feb. 22, 2017 NV IP 1 Requires Automatic Voter Registration when Applying for Driver's License Bill Passed - House (27 - 15)
Feb. 15, 2017 National H J Res 40 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (57 - 43)
Feb. 2, 2017 WY SF 153 Prohibits Discriminatory Practices in the Workplace Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
Feb. 2, 2017 National H J Res 40 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 Joint Resolution Passed - House (235 - 180)
Feb. 1, 2017 PA SB 261 Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
Jan. 23, 2017 VA SB 1055 Classifies Failure to Leave Unlawful Assembly After Warning as a Class 1 Misdemeanor Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 26)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
March 10, 2016 KY SB 8 Requires the State Supreme Court to Review Judicial Districts Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
March 10, 2016 MO SJR 39 Prohibits Penalties for Declining Participation in Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Feb. 24, 2016 UT SJR 2 Urges Congress to Repeal the 17th Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
Feb. 22, 2016 KS HCR 5010 Establishes State Commitment to a Proposed Constitutional Convention Bill Failed - House (77 - 47)
Feb. 11, 2016 AL HB 37 Prohibits Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions Bill Failed - House (60 - 24)
Feb. 4, 2016 TN SJR 67 Requests that the U.S. Congress call a Constitutional Convention Bill Passed - House (59 - 31)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/15 SB 128 Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
3/13 HB 441 Establishes Protections for Student Journalists Bill Passed - House (148 - 6)
3/10 H 3643 Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy Bill Passed - House (103 - 3)
3/10 H 3643 Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy Bill Passed - House (103 - 3)
3/09 SB 374 Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
3/09 HF 516 Requires Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
3/08 HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 38)
3/06 SB 17 Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
3/02 SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
2/28 SB 5008 Modifies Legislation Related to REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
2/23 HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - House (72 - 58)
2/22 IP 1 Requires Automatic Voter Registration when Applying for Driver's License Bill Passed - House (27 - 15)
2/15 H J Res 40 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (57 - 43)
2/02 SF 153 Prohibits Discriminatory Practices in the Workplace Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
2/02 H J Res 40 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 Joint Resolution Passed - House (235 - 180)
2/01 SB 261 Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
1/23 SB 1055 Classifies Failure to Leave Unlawful Assembly After Warning as a Class 1 Misdemeanor Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 26)
4/21 SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
4/21 SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
3/10 SB 8 Requires the State Supreme Court to Review Judicial Districts Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
3/10 SJR 39 Prohibits Penalties for Declining Participation in Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
2/24 SJR 2 Urges Congress to Repeal the 17th Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
2/22 HCR 5010 Establishes State Commitment to a Proposed Constitutional Convention Bill Failed - House (77 - 47)
2/11 HB 37 Prohibits Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions Bill Failed - House (60 - 24)
2/04 SJR 67 Requests that the U.S. Congress call a Constitutional Convention Bill Passed - House (59 - 31)

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