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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 5, 2017 | OR | HB 3391 | Requires Coverage for Abortions and Contraceptives | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| July 3, 2017 | OR | SB 558 | Expands Health Care Coverage for Children | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| June 29, 2017 | DE | HB 190 | Authorizes Commercial Activity in State-Designated Coastal Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 2) |
| June 22, 2017 | MA | H 3776 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| June 21, 2017 | OR | HB 2391 | Establishes a Tax on Oregon Health Plan Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| June 15, 2017 | MO | SB 5 | Amends Abortion Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| June 2, 2017 | NV | AB 374 | Expands Eligibility for Medicaid | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| May 31, 2017 | CA | SB 100 | Increases the State Renewable Energy Target | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| May 30, 2017 | CA | SB 328 | Amends School Start Time | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| May 26, 2017 | NJ | S 359 | Raises Minimum Age for Purchasing Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| May 24, 2017 | ME | LD 347 | Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients | |
| May 24, 2017 | ME | LD 347 | Authorizes the Prescription of Lethal Doses of Drugs to Terminally Ill Patients | |
| May 18, 2017 | DE | SB 24 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana to Treat Anxiety | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 0) |
| May 16, 2017 | DE | SB 24 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana to Treat Anxiety | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 1) |
| 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 | RI | S 112A | Expands Renewable Energy Growth Program | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| May 10, 2017 | IL | HB 40 | Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22) |
| May 10, 2017 | IL | HB 40 | Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22) |
| May 10, 2017 | IL | HB 40 | Amends Restrictions on Publicly Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22) |
| May 9, 2017 | DE | SB 5 | Authorizes Abortions Before the Point of Viability | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 7) |
| May 8, 2017 | FL | HB 5007 | Revises Florida Retirement System | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 13) |
| May 5, 2017 | VT | S 22 | Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| April 25, 2017 | NV | SB 122 | Provides Funding and Regulations Related to Family Planning Services | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| April 24, 2017 | NC | SB 434 | Amends Local Riparian Buffer Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 31) |