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
Oct. 25, 2017 PA SB 936 Establishes Prescription Drug Formulary for Injured Employees Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16)
Oct. 16, 2017 NC S 656 Prohibits Part Primaries for Certain 2018 Court Elections Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 15)
Oct. 5, 2017 MI SB 353 Prohibits Local Rules Regarding Employer Interview Practices Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
Sept. 16, 2017 CA SB 54 Establishes a Statewide Sanctuary Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
Sept. 14, 2017 CA SB 179 Recognizes Nonbinary as an Official Legal Gender Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Sept. 13, 2017 National SA 871 Repeal of Authorization for Use of Military Force and Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 Amendment Tabled - Senate (61 - 36)
July 25, 2017 MO SB 5 Amends Abortion Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
July 6, 2017 OR HB 3464 Prohibits Disclosure of Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
June 30, 2017 WA SB 5975 Establishes Paid Family Leave Insurance Program Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
June 15, 2017 MO SB 5 Amends Abortion Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
June 15, 2017 RI S 237A Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Juveniles with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
June 6, 2017 LA SB 139 Establishes New Parole Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
May 31, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
May 30, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
May 16, 2017 NE LB 289 Authorizes Life Prison Terms for Sex Traffickers and Solicitors Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
May 16, 2017 LA SB 111 Requires Identification from Parents for Minors to Obtain an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
May 11, 2017 National PN 42 Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative (82 - 14)
May 11, 2017 National PN 42 Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 15)
May 10, 2017 IL HB 40 Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22)
May 10, 2017 AZ HB 2372 Extends Time Period for Individuals to Receive Government Assistance Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
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 NE LB 259 Authorizes Release Options for Inmates Unable to Pay for Bail Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 3)
May 4, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/25 SB 936 Establishes Prescription Drug Formulary for Injured Employees Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16)
10/16 S 656 Prohibits Part Primaries for Certain 2018 Court Elections Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 15)
10/05 SB 353 Prohibits Local Rules Regarding Employer Interview Practices Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
9/16 SB 54 Establishes a Statewide Sanctuary Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
9/14 SB 179 Recognizes Nonbinary as an Official Legal Gender Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
9/13 SA 871 Repeal of Authorization for Use of Military Force and Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 Amendment Tabled - Senate (61 - 36)
7/25 SB 5 Amends Abortion Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
7/06 HB 3464 Prohibits Disclosure of Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
6/30 SB 5975 Establishes Paid Family Leave Insurance Program Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
6/15 SB 5 Amends Abortion Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
6/15 S 237A Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Juveniles with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
6/06 SB 139 Establishes New Parole Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
5/31 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
5/31 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
5/30 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
5/16 LB 289 Authorizes Life Prison Terms for Sex Traffickers and Solicitors Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
5/16 SB 111 Requires Identification from Parents for Minors to Obtain an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
5/11 PN 42 Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative (82 - 14)
5/11 PN 42 Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 15)
5/10 HB 40 Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22)
5/10 HB 2372 Extends Time Period for Individuals to Receive Government Assistance Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
5/10 SB 560 Establishes Provisions for Police Use of Body Cameras Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
5/09 SB 5 Authorizes Abortions Before the Point of Viability Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 7)
5/08 LB 259 Authorizes Release Options for Inmates Unable to Pay for Bail Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 3)
5/04 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)

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