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 24, 2017 MA H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
May 18, 2017 NV SB 176 Requires Police Officers to Wear Body Cameras Bill Passed - House (33 - 9)
May 16, 2017 NE LB 289 Authorizes Life Prison Terms for Sex Traffickers and Solicitors Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
May 15, 2017 AK HB 74 Authorizes REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - House (27 - 13)
May 12, 2017 NC S 257 Establishes State Budget Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
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 PA SB 560 Establishes Provisions for Police Use of Body Cameras Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
May 9, 2017 CO SB 301 Amends Funds and Regulations for Renewable Energy Programs Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
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 NE LB 259 Authorizes Release Options for Inmates Unable to Pay for Bail Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 3)
May 6, 2017 TX HB 25 Prohibits One-Punch Straight Ticket Voting Bill Passed - House (88 - 57)
May 5, 2017 IL SB 1933 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
May 4, 2017 AL HB 155 Establishes Budget for 2017-2018 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
May 4, 2017 CA AB 84 Authorizes Earlier Presidential Primary Bill Passed - House (52 - 20)
May 4, 2017 IL SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
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 OH HB 49 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Bill Passed - House (58 - 37)
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 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 MI HB 4177 Amends Guidelines for Party Labels on Ballots Bill Passed - House (63 - 46)
April 26, 2017 NC H 239 Reduces Court of Appeals Caseload Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/24 H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
5/18 SB 176 Requires Police Officers to Wear Body Cameras Bill Passed - House (33 - 9)
5/16 LB 289 Authorizes Life Prison Terms for Sex Traffickers and Solicitors Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
5/15 HB 74 Authorizes REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - House (27 - 13)
5/12 S 257 Establishes State Budget Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
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 SB 560 Establishes Provisions for Police Use of Body Cameras Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
5/09 SB 301 Amends Funds and Regulations for Renewable Energy Programs Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/09 HB 1375 Requires School Districts to Develop a Plan to Equitably Distribute Funds Bill Passed - House (65 - 0)
5/08 LB 259 Authorizes Release Options for Inmates Unable to Pay for Bail Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 3)
5/06 HB 25 Prohibits One-Punch Straight Ticket Voting Bill Passed - House (88 - 57)
5/05 SB 1933 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
5/04 HB 155 Establishes Budget for 2017-2018 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
5/04 AB 84 Authorizes Earlier Presidential Primary Bill Passed - House (52 - 20)
5/04 SB 31 Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 21)
5/02 PN 47 Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission Nomination Confirmed - Senate (61 - 37)
5/02 HB 49 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Bill Passed - House (58 - 37)
5/02 SB 15 Expands Legislature's Regulatory Review Powers Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
5/02 SB 15 Expands Legislature's Regulatory Review Powers Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
5/02 SB 15 Expands Legislature's Regulatory Review Powers Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
5/01 PN 47 Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 36)
4/27 PN 88 Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 38)
4/27 HB 4177 Amends Guidelines for Party Labels on Ballots Bill Passed - House (63 - 46)
4/26 H 239 Reduces Court of Appeals Caseload Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 15)

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