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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 2017 | PA | SB 560 | Establishes Provisions for Police Use of Body Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0) |
| May 9, 2017 | DE | SB 5 | Authorizes Abortions Before the Point of Viability | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 7) |
| May 8, 2017 | MO | SB 43 | Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings | Bill Passed - House (98 - 30) |
| May 8, 2017 | NE | LB 259 | Authorizes Release Options for Inmates Unable to Pay for Bail | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 3) |
| May 6, 2017 | TX | HB 2466 | Expands Healthcare to Cover Postpartum Depression | Bill Passed - House (135 - 7) |
| May 4, 2017 | IL | SB 31 | Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21) |
| May 3, 2017 | VT | H 196 | Requires a Statewide Payroll Tax to Fund a Paid Family Leave Insurance Program | Bill Passed - House (88 - 58) |
| May 2, 2017 | National | PN 47 | Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| May 2, 2017 | National | HR 1180 | Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
| May 2, 2017 | NE | LB 427 | Requires Schools to Accommodate Pregnant and Parenting Students | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| May 2, 2017 | WI | SB 15 | Expands Legislature's Regulatory Review Powers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| May 2, 2017 | WI | SB 15 | Expands Legislature's Regulatory Review Powers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| May 1, 2017 | National | PN 47 | Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 36) |
| April 27, 2017 | National | PN 88 | Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 38) |
| April 27, 2017 | National | PN 88 | Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 38) |
| April 27, 2017 | TX | SB 4 | Prohibits Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - House (94 - 53) |
| April 26, 2017 | NC | H 239 | Reduces Court of Appeals Caseload | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| April 26, 2017 | NC | H 239 | Reduces Court of Appeals Caseload | Veto Override Passed - House (73 - 44) |
| April 26, 2017 | National | PN 88 | Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor | Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 39) |
| April 26, 2017 | National | PN 88 | Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor | Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 39) |
| April 26, 2017 | IL | HB 2462 | Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History | Bill Passed - House (91 - 24) |
| April 25, 2017 | NY | S 1229 | Establishes Term Limits for Legislative Leadership Positions | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 9) |
| April 25, 2017 | NV | SB 122 | Provides Funding and Regulations Related to Family Planning Services | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| April 25, 2017 | NV | AB 249 | Requires Insurance Coverage for 12-Month Refills of Contraceptive Drugs | Bill Passed - House (40 - 2) |
| April 25, 2017 | IL | HB 40 | Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - House (62 - 55) |