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
June 1, 2017 CA AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1 Specifies School Funding Reallocation Bill Passed - House (60 - 52)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
May 29, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - House (62 - 49)
May 24, 2017 MA H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
May 23, 2017 ME LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - House (61 - 85)
May 18, 2017 National HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
May 17, 2017 NY A 516 Expands Cigarette Legislation to Apply to Electronic Cigarette Bill Passed - House (92 - 36)
May 17, 2017 RI H 5457A Requires Parents to Take Course in Driver's Education Bill Passed - House (59 - 11)
May 17, 2017 OH HB 27 Amends Eligibility for Workers' Compensation Benefits Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
May 17, 2017 OH HB 27 Amends Eligibility for Workers' Compensation Benefits Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
May 16, 2017 AK HB 111 Restructures Oil Tax and Credit System Concurrence Vote Failed - House (17 - 22)
May 15, 2017 AK HB 132 Authorizes Operation of Ridesharing Services Bill Passed - House (35 - 5)
May 15, 2017 LA HB 71 Prohibits Removal of Public Military Memorials Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
May 11, 2017 TX HB 39 Prohibits Vaccination of New Foster Children Bill Passed - House (132 - 11)
May 10, 2017 VT S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
May 10, 2017 CO HB 1329 Establishes Requirements for Youth Corrections Centers Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 22)
May 9, 2017 DE HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
May 9, 2017 CO HB 1375 Requires School Districts to Develop a Plan to Equitably Distribute Funds Bill Passed - House (65 - 0)
May 8, 2017 AZ SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
May 8, 2017 MO SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - House (98 - 30)
May 6, 2017 TX HB 2466 Expands Healthcare to Cover Postpartum Depression Bill Passed - House (135 - 7)
May 4, 2017 NH SB 9 Prohibits the Use of Victim's Past Sexual Activity as Evidence in Sexual Assault Cases Bill Passed - House (328 - 30)
May 3, 2017 VT H 196 Requires a Statewide Payroll Tax to Fund a Paid Family Leave Insurance Program Bill Passed - House (88 - 58)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/01 AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
5/31 SB 1 Specifies School Funding Reallocation Bill Passed - House (60 - 52)
5/31 SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
5/31 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
5/29 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - House (62 - 49)
5/24 H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
5/23 LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - House (61 - 85)
5/18 HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
5/17 A 516 Expands Cigarette Legislation to Apply to Electronic Cigarette Bill Passed - House (92 - 36)
5/17 H 5457A Requires Parents to Take Course in Driver's Education Bill Passed - House (59 - 11)
5/17 HB 27 Amends Eligibility for Workers' Compensation Benefits Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
5/17 HB 27 Amends Eligibility for Workers' Compensation Benefits Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
5/16 HB 111 Restructures Oil Tax and Credit System Concurrence Vote Failed - House (17 - 22)
5/15 HB 132 Authorizes Operation of Ridesharing Services Bill Passed - House (35 - 5)
5/15 HB 71 Prohibits Removal of Public Military Memorials Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
5/11 HB 39 Prohibits Vaccination of New Foster Children Bill Passed - House (132 - 11)
5/10 S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
5/10 HB 1329 Establishes Requirements for Youth Corrections Centers Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 22)
5/09 HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
5/09 HB 1375 Requires School Districts to Develop a Plan to Equitably Distribute Funds Bill Passed - House (65 - 0)
5/08 SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
5/08 SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - House (98 - 30)
5/06 HB 2466 Expands Healthcare to Cover Postpartum Depression Bill Passed - House (135 - 7)
5/04 SB 9 Prohibits the Use of Victim's Past Sexual Activity as Evidence in Sexual Assault Cases Bill Passed - House (328 - 30)
5/03 H 196 Requires a Statewide Payroll Tax to Fund a Paid Family Leave Insurance Program Bill Passed - House (88 - 58)

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