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 18, 2019 OR SB 250 Prohibits Health Benefit Plans from Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
April 10, 2019 NY A 6188 Prohibits Harassment of Rent Regulated Tenants Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 17)
April 10, 2019 NC SB 250 Amends Voting Rolls to Correlate with Jury Selection Excusals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
April 10, 2019 IL SB 2090 Expands Access to Voting in Jails Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
April 8, 2019 AR HJR 1008 Establishes Stricter Requirements for Ballot Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
April 3, 2019 TX SB 17 Authorizes Protections for Lawyers that Deny Clients Based on Religious Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
March 29, 2019 GA HB 345 Establishes Rights for Pregnant Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 1)
March 12, 2019 UT HB 57 Requires Search Warrants for Electronic Information Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 0)
March 11, 2019 IA SF 274 Amends Free Speech Regulations on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
March 7, 2019 SD SB 189 Establishes "Riot Boosting" as a Civil Offense Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
March 6, 2019 MS HB 761 Prohibits Contracts with Businesses That Boycott Israel Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
Feb. 26, 2019 WA SB 5165 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Citizenship or Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
Feb. 21, 2019 NJ S 758 Requires Incarcerated Individuals Count in Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
Jan. 23, 2019 DE HB 2 Establishes Protections for Federal Workers During a Shutdown Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 6)
Jan. 15, 2019 NY A 576 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 4)
Jan. 15, 2019 NY S 1047 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 19)
Dec. 6, 2018 OH SB 250 Increases Trespass Penalties and Other Crimes Related to Protesting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5)
Nov. 28, 2018 MI SB 1175 Amends Laws Regarding State Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Oct. 17, 2018 PA SB 554 Establishes Protections for Juvenile Human Trafficking Victims Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Sept. 5, 2018 MI HB 5377 Amends Prison Parole Laws Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4)
Aug. 24, 2018 CA SB 820 Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements in Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Cases Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
Aug. 6, 2018 CA AB 282 Amends the End of Life Option Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
June 29, 2018 NC HB 1092 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
June 27, 2018 NC HB 913 Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
June 25, 2018 NJ A 3861 Amends Unemployment Insurance Law (23 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/18 SB 250 Prohibits Health Benefit Plans from Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
4/10 A 6188 Prohibits Harassment of Rent Regulated Tenants Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 17)
4/10 SB 250 Amends Voting Rolls to Correlate with Jury Selection Excusals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
4/10 SB 2090 Expands Access to Voting in Jails Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
4/08 HJR 1008 Establishes Stricter Requirements for Ballot Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
4/03 SB 17 Authorizes Protections for Lawyers that Deny Clients Based on Religious Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
3/29 HB 345 Establishes Rights for Pregnant Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 1)
3/12 HB 57 Requires Search Warrants for Electronic Information Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 0)
3/11 SF 274 Amends Free Speech Regulations on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
3/07 SB 189 Establishes "Riot Boosting" as a Civil Offense Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
3/06 HB 761 Prohibits Contracts with Businesses That Boycott Israel Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
2/26 SB 5165 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Citizenship or Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
2/21 S 758 Requires Incarcerated Individuals Count in Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
1/23 HB 2 Establishes Protections for Federal Workers During a Shutdown Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 6)
1/15 A 576 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 4)
1/15 S 1047 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 19)
12/06 SB 250 Increases Trespass Penalties and Other Crimes Related to Protesting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5)
11/28 SB 1175 Amends Laws Regarding State Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
10/17 SB 554 Establishes Protections for Juvenile Human Trafficking Victims Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
9/05 HB 5377 Amends Prison Parole Laws Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4)
8/24 SB 820 Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements in Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Cases Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
8/06 AB 282 Amends the End of Life Option Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
6/29 HB 1092 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
6/27 HB 913 Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
6/25 A 3861 Amends Unemployment Insurance Law (23 - 14)

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