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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Nov. 17, 2015 National S J Res 23 A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 46)
Oct. 22, 2015 National S Amdt 2564 Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65)
Sept. 4, 2015 CA AB 888 Prohibits the Sale of Products Containing Plastic Microbeads Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Aug. 27, 2015 CA SB 7 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Aug. 27, 2015 CA SB 5 Amends Regulations for E-Cigarettes Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
July 1, 2015 OR SB 478 Requires Manufacturers to Disclose Certain Chemicals Used in Children's Products Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
June 25, 2015 RI H 5364 Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
June 25, 2015 RI H 5364 Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
June 24, 2015 NH HB 550 Authorizes Businesses to Not Declare Profits from Interest Sales Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
June 11, 2015 OR HB 3025 Prohibits Asking Job Applicants' Criminal History Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
June 11, 2015 MI HB 4052 Amends Government Regulation of Employment Conditions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
June 11, 2015 RI H 5074 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
June 11, 2015 RI H 5074 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
June 10, 2015 OR SB 454 Requires Employers to Offer Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
June 10, 2015 OR SB 454 Requires Employers to Offer Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
June 3, 2015 NC HB 405 Prohibits the Recording of Certain Employer Property Veto Override Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
June 3, 2015 NC HB 405 Prohibits the Recording of Certain Employer Property Veto Override Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
June 2, 2015 CA SB 151 Increases Smoking Age Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
June 2, 2015 CA SB 140 Prohibits Smoking Electronic Cigarettes in Certain Indoor Areas Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
June 1, 2015 CA SB 588 Authorizes Labor Commissioner to Enforce the Payment of Wages Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
June 1, 2015 CA SB 3 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
June 1, 2015 CA SB 3 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
May 28, 2015 OR HB 2007 Prohibits Employers from Penalizing Employees for Discussing Wages Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
May 28, 2015 OR HB 2007 Prohibits Employers from Penalizing Employees for Discussing Wages Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
May 27, 2015 MI HB 4467 Authorizes Private High-Security Prisons Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/17 S J Res 23 A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 46)
10/22 S Amdt 2564 Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65)
9/04 AB 888 Prohibits the Sale of Products Containing Plastic Microbeads Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
8/27 SB 7 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
8/27 SB 5 Amends Regulations for E-Cigarettes Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
7/01 SB 478 Requires Manufacturers to Disclose Certain Chemicals Used in Children's Products Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
6/25 H 5364 Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
6/25 H 5364 Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
6/24 HB 550 Authorizes Businesses to Not Declare Profits from Interest Sales Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
6/11 HB 3025 Prohibits Asking Job Applicants' Criminal History Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
6/11 HB 4052 Amends Government Regulation of Employment Conditions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
6/11 H 5074 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
6/11 H 5074 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
6/10 SB 454 Requires Employers to Offer Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
6/10 SB 454 Requires Employers to Offer Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
6/03 HB 405 Prohibits the Recording of Certain Employer Property Veto Override Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
6/03 HB 405 Prohibits the Recording of Certain Employer Property Veto Override Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
6/02 SB 151 Increases Smoking Age Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
6/02 SB 140 Prohibits Smoking Electronic Cigarettes in Certain Indoor Areas Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
6/01 SB 588 Authorizes Labor Commissioner to Enforce the Payment of Wages Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
6/01 SB 3 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
6/01 SB 3 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
5/28 HB 2007 Prohibits Employers from Penalizing Employees for Discussing Wages Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
5/28 HB 2007 Prohibits Employers from Penalizing Employees for Discussing Wages Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
5/27 HB 4467 Authorizes Private High-Security Prisons Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)

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