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 23, 2018 NY A 3223 Amends Penal Law for Victims of Human Trafficking Bill Passed - House (131 - 0)
April 18, 2018 PA SB 961 Increases OWI Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
March 22, 2018 KY HB 198 Limits Fees for Attorneys Contracting with State Agencies Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 36)
March 19, 2018 KY HB 198 Limits Fees for Attorneys Contracting with State Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
March 16, 2018 ID H 665 Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
March 15, 2018 NH SB 593 Repeals Death Penalty "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
March 15, 2018 MO HB 1578 Limits Circumstances Under Which Lawsuits May Be Joined Bill Passed - House (104 - 47)
March 12, 2018 MD SB 122 Amends Criminal Law Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8)
March 10, 2018 WY HB 168 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11)
March 9, 2018 WY HB 168 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
March 9, 2018 ID H 665 Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools Bill Passed - House (52 - 12)
Feb. 22, 2018 WA SB 6052 Repeals Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
Feb. 15, 2018 KY HB 198 Limits Fees for Attorneys Contracting with State Agencies Bill Passed - House (52 - 40)
Jan. 12, 2018 FL HB 6001 Repeals Red Light Cameras Bill Passed - House (83 - 18)
Nov. 7, 2017 WI SB 54 Requires Department of Corrections to Revoke Parole under Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
June 29, 2017 National HR 3003 No Sanctuary for Criminals Act Bill Passed - House (228 - 195)
June 28, 2017 National HR 1215 Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
June 6, 2017 LA SB 139 Establishes New Parole Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
June 1, 2017 CA AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
May 31, 2017 IL SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
May 30, 2017 LA HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
May 5, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 0)
May 1, 2017 OR HB 2597 Increases Penalties for Distracted Driving Bill Passed - House (46 - 13)
April 27, 2017 NC HB 330 Limits Liability for Motorists Involved in Accidents with Protesters Bill Passed - House (67 - 48)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/23 A 3223 Amends Penal Law for Victims of Human Trafficking Bill Passed - House (131 - 0)
4/18 SB 961 Increases OWI Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
3/22 HB 198 Limits Fees for Attorneys Contracting with State Agencies Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 36)
3/19 HB 198 Limits Fees for Attorneys Contracting with State Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
3/16 H 665 Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
3/15 SB 593 Repeals Death Penalty "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
3/15 HB 1578 Limits Circumstances Under Which Lawsuits May Be Joined Bill Passed - House (104 - 47)
3/12 SB 122 Amends Criminal Law Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8)
3/10 HB 168 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11)
3/09 HB 168 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
3/09 H 665 Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools Bill Passed - House (52 - 12)
2/22 SB 6052 Repeals Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
2/15 HB 198 Limits Fees for Attorneys Contracting with State Agencies Bill Passed - House (52 - 40)
1/12 HB 6001 Repeals Red Light Cameras Bill Passed - House (83 - 18)
11/07 SB 54 Requires Department of Corrections to Revoke Parole under Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
6/29 HR 3003 No Sanctuary for Criminals Act Bill Passed - House (228 - 195)
6/28 HR 1215 Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
6/06 SB 139 Establishes New Parole Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
6/01 AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
5/31 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
5/31 SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
5/30 HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
5/05 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 0)
5/01 HB 2597 Increases Penalties for Distracted Driving Bill Passed - House (46 - 13)
4/27 HB 330 Limits Liability for Motorists Involved in Accidents with Protesters Bill Passed - House (67 - 48)

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