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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 19, 2019 | IA | SF 538 | Establishes Medicaid Work Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| March 14, 2019 | NH | SB 228 | Increases State Consumer Protections Related to Welfare Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| March 6, 2019 | IL | SB 1596 | Authorizes Exceptions for Limits on Workers' Compensation Claims | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 16) |
| Feb. 26, 2019 | GA | SB 106 | Authorizes Governor to Pursue Medicaid Waivers | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| Oct. 17, 2018 | PA | HB 2138 | Establishes Medicaid Work Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| June 25, 2018 | NJ | A 3871 | Amends Definition of 'Misconduct' for Unemployment Purposes | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| June 21, 2018 | NJ | S 490 | Prohibits Welfare "Family Caps" | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| May 9, 2018 | MO | HB 2171 | Amends Eligibility Requirements for Blind Pension | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| April 19, 2018 | MI | SB 897 | Establishes Work Requirements for Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Jan. 29, 2018 | VA | SB 192 | Authorizes State to Deduct Previous TANF Benefits from Lottery Winnings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| July 6, 2017 | OR | HB 3464 | Prohibits Disclosure of Immigration Status | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| May 11, 2017 | AL | SB 200 | Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| May 10, 2017 | AZ | HB 2372 | Extends Time Period for Individuals to Receive Government Assistance | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| April 11, 2017 | AL | SB 193 | Authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian Church to Form a Police Force | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
| April 4, 2017 | TX | SB 576 | Establishes Reporting Standards for Sexual Assault on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1) |
| March 27, 2017 | IA | HF 518 | Requires Certain Restrictions Regarding Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 654 | Authorizes Paid Family Leave | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 1234 | Authorizes Implementation of Retirement Savings Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| July 20, 2016 | HI | SB 2077 | Authorizes Employees Affected by Privatization to Receive Benefits | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 4) |
| May 30, 2016 | IL | SB 777 | Amends Chicago Police and Firefighter Pension Plans | Veto Override Passed - Senate (39 - 19) |
| May 1, 2016 | KS | SB 402 | Amends Public Assistance Eligibility Criteria | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| March 31, 2016 | NH | HB 1696 | Amends Health Protection Program | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
| March 10, 2016 | IN | SB 165 | Expands Medicaid | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16) |
| March 8, 2016 | UT | HB 437 | Expands the Health Coverage Improvement Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 8) |
| Jan. 29, 2016 | UT | SB 39 | Authorizes Medicaid Coverage for Adult Dental Services | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 0) |