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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IN | HB 1384 | Expands Indiana's Voucher Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| April 4, 2017 | IA | HF 517 | Authorizes Use of Deadly Force when Deemed Necessary | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 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 | TN | SB 38 | Amends Provisions for Campaign Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| March 15, 2017 | FL | SB 128 | Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| March 13, 2017 | NJ | S 3048 | Requires Presidential Candidates to Disclose Tax Returns | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| March 13, 2017 | OK | SB 170 | Repeals Automatic Income Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 6) |
| March 8, 2017 | AR | HB 1047 | Requires Voters to Provide Identification When Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| March 2, 2017 | WA | SB 5223 | Prohibits Localities from Permitting Heroin Injection Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| Feb. 28, 2017 | IN | SB 423 | Prohibits Sanctuary Policies on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| Feb. 24, 2017 | VT | S 79 | Prohibits the Disclosure of Personally Identifying Information | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 0) |
| Feb. 22, 2017 | VA | HB 2000 | Prohibits Establishment of Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Feb. 17, 2017 | National | PN 44 | Nomination of Scott Pruitt to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 46) |
| Feb. 17, 2017 | UT | HB 11 | Removes Political Party Affiliation Requirements for Certain State Commissions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |