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
May 9, 2018 MA H 4479 Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Tobacco Products Bill Passed - House (147 - 4)
May 2, 2018 RI S 2350 Prohibits Advertising Unhealthy Food in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
May 1, 2018 KS HB 2470 Amends Alcoholic Beverage Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 28)
April 19, 2018 MO HB 2155 Authorizes State to Regulate Powdered Alcohol Bill Passed - House (117 - 30)
Feb. 28, 2018 MS SB 2588 Authorizes Localities to Designate Open Container Districts Bill Passed - House (88 - 29)
Feb. 6, 2018 National HR 772 Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (266 - 157)
Feb. 5, 2018 MS SB 2588 Authorizes Localities to Designate Open Container Districts Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 9)
Jan. 31, 2018 MS HB 415 Amends Alcoholic Beverage Regulations (86 - 26)
Oct. 12, 2017 MI HB 4999 Prohibits Localities from Taxing Foods and Beverages Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
Sept. 5, 2017 CA AB 841 Restricts Marketing of Unhealthy Foods in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
April 26, 2017 FL SB 106 Revises Provisions on the Sale of Alcoholic Beverages Bill Passed - House (58 - 57)
April 11, 2017 WA HB 1493 Regulates Commercial Use of Biometric Data Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
March 8, 2017 UT HB 442 Amends Certain Restrictions Regarding the Sale of Alcohol Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 17)
March 2, 2017 WA HB 1493 Regulates Commercial Use of Biometric Data Bill Passed - House (81 - 17)
Feb. 27, 2017 MT HB 541 Authorizes Small Breweries to Sell 60,000 Barrels of Beer per Year Bill Passed - House (94 - 6)
Aug. 30, 2016 CA SB 1333 Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches and Parks Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Aug. 25, 2016 CA SB 1333 Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches and Parks Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
July 7, 2016 National S 764 Establishes Labeling Standards for Genetically Modified Foods Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (63 - 30)
May 31, 2016 CA SB 1333 Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches and Parks Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
May 26, 2016 NJ S 359 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 26, 2016 LA HB 67 Prohibits Minors from Possessing Alcohol on Private Property Bill Failed - House (48 - 37)
May 18, 2016 IL SB 3011 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
April 28, 2016 MA S 2269 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
April 18, 2016 LA SB 29 Authorizes the Sale of Raw Milk Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
March 31, 2016 MO HB 1786 Prohibits Powdered Alcohol Bill Passed - House (95 - 56)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/09 H 4479 Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Tobacco Products Bill Passed - House (147 - 4)
5/02 S 2350 Prohibits Advertising Unhealthy Food in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
5/01 HB 2470 Amends Alcoholic Beverage Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 28)
4/19 HB 2155 Authorizes State to Regulate Powdered Alcohol Bill Passed - House (117 - 30)
2/28 SB 2588 Authorizes Localities to Designate Open Container Districts Bill Passed - House (88 - 29)
2/06 HR 772 Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (266 - 157)
2/05 SB 2588 Authorizes Localities to Designate Open Container Districts Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 9)
1/31 HB 415 Amends Alcoholic Beverage Regulations (86 - 26)
10/12 HB 4999 Prohibits Localities from Taxing Foods and Beverages Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
9/05 AB 841 Restricts Marketing of Unhealthy Foods in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
4/26 SB 106 Revises Provisions on the Sale of Alcoholic Beverages Bill Passed - House (58 - 57)
4/11 HB 1493 Regulates Commercial Use of Biometric Data Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
3/08 HB 442 Amends Certain Restrictions Regarding the Sale of Alcohol Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 17)
3/02 HB 1493 Regulates Commercial Use of Biometric Data Bill Passed - House (81 - 17)
2/27 HB 541 Authorizes Small Breweries to Sell 60,000 Barrels of Beer per Year Bill Passed - House (94 - 6)
8/30 SB 1333 Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches and Parks Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
8/25 SB 1333 Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches and Parks Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
7/07 S 764 Establishes Labeling Standards for Genetically Modified Foods Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (63 - 30)
5/31 SB 1333 Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches and Parks Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
5/26 S 359 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/26 HB 67 Prohibits Minors from Possessing Alcohol on Private Property Bill Failed - House (48 - 37)
5/18 SB 3011 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
4/28 S 2269 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
4/18 SB 29 Authorizes the Sale of Raw Milk Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
3/31 HB 1786 Prohibits Powdered Alcohol Bill Passed - House (95 - 56)

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