Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
April 6, 2017 CA SB 1 Increases Gas and Vehicle Taxes to Pay for Road and Bridge Repairs Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
April 6, 2017 IL HB 109 Establishes Stopgap Budget Bill Passed - House (64 - 45)
April 6, 2017 IL HB 109 Establishes Stopgap Budget Bill Passed - House (64 - 45)
April 5, 2017 DE SB 27 Establishes Bipartisan Commission for Drawing Legislative Districts Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 7)
April 5, 2017 DE SB 27 Establishes Bipartisan Commission for Drawing Legislative Districts Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 7)
April 5, 2017 DE SB 27 Establishes Bipartisan Commission for Drawing Legislative Districts Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 7)
April 5, 2017 DE SB 27 Establishes Bipartisan Commission for Drawing Legislative Districts Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 7)
April 4, 2017 IA HF 517 Authorizes Use of Deadly Force when Deemed Necessary Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
April 4, 2017 IN HB 1384 Expands Indiana's Voucher Program Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
April 4, 2017 AL SB 16 Prohibits Judicial Override of Sentencing Decisions Bill Passed - House (78 - 19)
April 4, 2017 PA HB 218 Establishes a Budget for the Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Bill Passed - House (144 - 84)
April 4, 2017 AL SB 129 Establishes Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2)
April 3, 2017 CA SB 54 Establishes a Statewide Sanctuary Policy Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
April 3, 2017 NE LB 46 Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to Create a "Choose Life" Specialty License Plate Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 5)
April 3, 2017 TN SB 38 Amends Provisions for Campaign Fundraising Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
March 31, 2017 MT HB 595 Amends State Constitution to Define "Person" Amendment Adopted - House (58 - 41)
March 31, 2017 CO HB 1242 Increases State Sales Tax Bill Passed - House (41 - 24)
March 30, 2017 MO HB 174 Prohibits Local Governments from Enacting Ordinances that Oppose State Law Bill Passed - House (118 - 36)
March 30, 2017 ME LD 156 Authorizes National Popular Vote Interstate Compact Bill Failed - House (66 - 73)
March 29, 2017 OH HB 26 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 5)
March 28, 2017 NH SB 3 Establishes New Voter Eligibility Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9)
March 27, 2017 IA HF 295 Prohibits Localities from Increasing Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
March 27, 2017 TN HB 173 Prohibits Local Government from Enacting Drug-Related Sanctions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
March 23, 2017 IA HF 516 Requires Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 23, 2017 WA SB 5048 Establishes 2017-2019 Fiscal Biennium Operating Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/06 SB 1 Increases Gas and Vehicle Taxes to Pay for Road and Bridge Repairs Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
4/06 HB 109 Establishes Stopgap Budget Bill Passed - House (64 - 45)
4/06 HB 109 Establishes Stopgap Budget Bill Passed - House (64 - 45)
4/05 SB 27 Establishes Bipartisan Commission for Drawing Legislative Districts Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 7)
4/05 SB 27 Establishes Bipartisan Commission for Drawing Legislative Districts Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 7)
4/05 SB 27 Establishes Bipartisan Commission for Drawing Legislative Districts Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 7)
4/05 SB 27 Establishes Bipartisan Commission for Drawing Legislative Districts Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 7)
4/04 HF 517 Authorizes Use of Deadly Force when Deemed Necessary Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
4/04 HB 1384 Expands Indiana's Voucher Program Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
4/04 SB 16 Prohibits Judicial Override of Sentencing Decisions Bill Passed - House (78 - 19)
4/04 HB 218 Establishes a Budget for the Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Bill Passed - House (144 - 84)
4/04 SB 129 Establishes Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2)
4/03 SB 54 Establishes a Statewide Sanctuary Policy Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
4/03 LB 46 Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to Create a "Choose Life" Specialty License Plate Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 5)
4/03 SB 38 Amends Provisions for Campaign Fundraising Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
3/31 HB 595 Amends State Constitution to Define "Person" Amendment Adopted - House (58 - 41)
3/31 HB 1242 Increases State Sales Tax Bill Passed - House (41 - 24)
3/30 HB 174 Prohibits Local Governments from Enacting Ordinances that Oppose State Law Bill Passed - House (118 - 36)
3/30 LD 156 Authorizes National Popular Vote Interstate Compact Bill Failed - House (66 - 73)
3/29 HB 26 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 5)
3/28 SB 3 Establishes New Voter Eligibility Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9)
3/27 HF 295 Prohibits Localities from Increasing Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
3/27 HB 173 Prohibits Local Government from Enacting Drug-Related Sanctions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
3/23 HF 516 Requires Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/23 SB 5048 Establishes 2017-2019 Fiscal Biennium Operating Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)

arrow_upward