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
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
May 31, 2017 CA SB 10 Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System (25 - 11)
May 31, 2017 CA SB 394 Authorizes Parole for Juvenile Offenders with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
May 30, 2017 LA HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
May 30, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
May 30, 2017 LA HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
May 29, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - House (62 - 49)
May 25, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
May 24, 2017 ME LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients
May 24, 2017 LA HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
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 18, 2017 National HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
May 16, 2017 AL SB 187 Reduces Time to File Appeals for Death Row Inmates Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
May 16, 2017 NE LB 289 Authorizes Life Prison Terms for Sex Traffickers and Solicitors Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
May 11, 2017 AL SB 200 Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
May 10, 2017 VT S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
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 (21 - 14)
May 10, 2017 CO HB 1329 Establishes Requirements for Youth Corrections Centers Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 22)
May 10, 2017 WI AB 242 Requires Drug Screening for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (62 - 35)
May 9, 2017 AZ SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
May 9, 2017 DE HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
May 9, 2017 DE HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/31 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
5/31 SB 10 Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System (25 - 11)
5/31 SB 394 Authorizes Parole for Juvenile Offenders with Life Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
5/30 HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
5/30 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
5/30 HB 27 Extends Domestic Abuse Laws to Dating Partners Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
5/29 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - House (62 - 49)
5/25 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
5/24 LD 347 Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients
5/24 HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
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)
5/18 HR 115 Thin Blue Line Act Bill Passed - House (271 - 143)
5/16 SB 187 Reduces Time to File Appeals for Death Row Inmates Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
5/16 LB 289 Authorizes Life Prison Terms for Sex Traffickers and Solicitors Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
5/11 SB 200 Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
5/10 S 22 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 66)
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 (21 - 14)
5/10 HB 1329 Establishes Requirements for Youth Corrections Centers Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 22)
5/10 AB 242 Requires Drug Screening for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (62 - 35)
5/09 SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
5/09 HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)
5/09 HB 125 Authorizes Capital Punishment Bill Passed - House (26 - 16)

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