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 4, 2017 National HR 244 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 18)
May 4, 2017 AL HB 155 Establishes Budget for 2017-2018 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
April 11, 2017 AL SB 193 Authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian Church to Form a Police Force Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
April 6, 2017 AK HB 57 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
April 6, 2017 WV HB 2646 Terminates West Virginia Women's Commission Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
April 4, 2017 TX SB 576 Establishes Reporting Standards for Sexual Assault on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1)
March 30, 2017 TX SB 2 Appropriates Funds for Private School Scholarships Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
March 27, 2017 IA HF 518 Requires Certain Restrictions Regarding Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
March 24, 2017 MD SB 1081 Establishes Funds to Support Family Planning Services Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
March 23, 2017 WA SB 5048 Establishes 2017-2019 Fiscal Biennium Operating Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
Jan. 12, 2017 National S Con Res 3 A Concurrent Resolution Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2017 and Setting Forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2018 Through 2026 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 48)
Sept. 28, 2016 National HR 5325 Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response and Preparedness Act Bill Passed - Senate (72 - 26)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA SB 654 Authorizes Paid Family Leave Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA SB 859 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA SB 1234 Authorizes Implementation of Retirement Savings Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
Aug. 26, 2016 CA SB 839 Prohibits Orca Captivity and Breeding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
Aug. 25, 2016 CA AB 1889 Appropriates Funds for High-Speed Rail Project Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
July 20, 2016 HI SB 2077 Authorizes Employees Affected by Privatization to Receive Benefits Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 4)
June 18, 2016 RI H 7454 Establishes State Budget for 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3)
June 15, 2016 CA SB 826 Approves Spending Plan for 2016-2017 Fiscal Year Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
June 8, 2016 MI HB 5384 Appropriates Funds for New Detroit School District Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18)
June 6, 2016 AK SB 128 Amends Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Policy Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
June 3, 2016 NC HB 1030 Establishes State Budget for 2016-2017 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
May 31, 2016 IL SB 2048 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 31)
May 31, 2016 IL SB 2048 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 31)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/04 HR 244 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 18)
5/04 HB 155 Establishes Budget for 2017-2018 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
4/11 SB 193 Authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian Church to Form a Police Force Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
4/06 HB 57 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
4/06 HB 2646 Terminates West Virginia Women's Commission Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
4/04 SB 576 Establishes Reporting Standards for Sexual Assault on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1)
3/30 SB 2 Appropriates Funds for Private School Scholarships Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
3/27 HF 518 Requires Certain Restrictions Regarding Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
3/24 SB 1081 Establishes Funds to Support Family Planning Services Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
3/23 SB 5048 Establishes 2017-2019 Fiscal Biennium Operating Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
1/12 S Con Res 3 A Concurrent Resolution Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2017 and Setting Forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2018 Through 2026 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 48)
9/28 HR 5325 Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response and Preparedness Act Bill Passed - Senate (72 - 26)
8/31 SB 654 Authorizes Paid Family Leave Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
8/31 SB 859 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
8/31 SB 1234 Authorizes Implementation of Retirement Savings Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
8/26 SB 839 Prohibits Orca Captivity and Breeding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
8/25 AB 1889 Appropriates Funds for High-Speed Rail Project Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
7/20 SB 2077 Authorizes Employees Affected by Privatization to Receive Benefits Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 4)
6/18 H 7454 Establishes State Budget for 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3)
6/15 SB 826 Approves Spending Plan for 2016-2017 Fiscal Year Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
6/08 HB 5384 Appropriates Funds for New Detroit School District Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18)
6/06 SB 128 Amends Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Policy Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
6/03 HB 1030 Establishes State Budget for 2016-2017 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
5/31 SB 2048 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 31)
5/31 SB 2048 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 31)

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