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
March 23, 2017 NJ S 3006 Prohibits Blocking Entry of Individuals from Certain Countries Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
March 23, 2017 IA HF 516 Requires Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 23, 2017 VT S 96 Establishes Protections For Journalists Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
March 23, 2017 VT S 96 Establishes Protections For Journalists Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
March 23, 2017 VT S 96 Establishes Protections For Journalists Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
March 23, 2017 FL SB 436 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
March 23, 2017 FL SB 436 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
March 22, 2017 VT HB 422 Requires Law Enforcement to Remove Firearms from the Scene of an Alleged Domestic Assault Bill Passed - House (78 - 60)
March 22, 2017 VT HB 422 Requires Law Enforcement to Remove Firearms from the Scene of an Alleged Domestic Assault Bill Passed - House (78 - 60)
March 21, 2017 MS SB 2710 Prohibits Local Sanctuary Policies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
March 21, 2017 National H J Res 69 Providing for congressional disapproval of the final rule of the Department of the Interior relating to Non-Subsistence Take of Wildlife, and Public Participation and Closure Procedures, on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
March 21, 2017 TX SB 25 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
March 20, 2017 CA AB 18 Authorizes a Ballot Measure to Appropriate $3 Billion to State Parks Bill Passed - House (59 - 19)
March 17, 2017 NM SB 374 Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch Bill Passed - House (60 - 0)
March 16, 2017 AL HB 24 Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion Bill Passed - House (60 - 14)
March 16, 2017 National HR 1181 Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act Bill Passed - House (240 - 175)
March 16, 2017 AL HB 24 Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion Bill Passed - House (60 - 14)
March 16, 2017 TN HB 688 Authorizes Carry of Firearms on Boats Bill Passed - House (79 - 12)
March 15, 2017 NM SB 259 Prohibits Certain Individuals from Possessing or Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - House (43 - 22)
March 15, 2017 NM SB 121 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (44 - 23)
March 15, 2017 VT S 79 Prohibits the Disclosure of Personally Identifying Information Bill Passed - House (110 - 24)
March 15, 2017 NM SB 121 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (44 - 23)
March 15, 2017 FL SB 128 Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
March 15, 2017 TX SB 6 Requires Individuals to Use Bathrooms According to Gender on Birth Certificate Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
March 15, 2017 FL SB 128 Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/23 S 3006 Prohibits Blocking Entry of Individuals from Certain Countries Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
3/23 HF 516 Requires Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/23 S 96 Establishes Protections For Journalists Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
3/23 S 96 Establishes Protections For Journalists Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
3/23 S 96 Establishes Protections For Journalists Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
3/23 SB 436 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
3/23 SB 436 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
3/22 HB 422 Requires Law Enforcement to Remove Firearms from the Scene of an Alleged Domestic Assault Bill Passed - House (78 - 60)
3/22 HB 422 Requires Law Enforcement to Remove Firearms from the Scene of an Alleged Domestic Assault Bill Passed - House (78 - 60)
3/21 SB 2710 Prohibits Local Sanctuary Policies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
3/21 H J Res 69 Providing for congressional disapproval of the final rule of the Department of the Interior relating to Non-Subsistence Take of Wildlife, and Public Participation and Closure Procedures, on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
3/21 SB 25 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
3/20 AB 18 Authorizes a Ballot Measure to Appropriate $3 Billion to State Parks Bill Passed - House (59 - 19)
3/17 SB 374 Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch Bill Passed - House (60 - 0)
3/16 HB 24 Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion Bill Passed - House (60 - 14)
3/16 HR 1181 Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act Bill Passed - House (240 - 175)
3/16 HB 24 Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion Bill Passed - House (60 - 14)
3/16 HB 688 Authorizes Carry of Firearms on Boats Bill Passed - House (79 - 12)
3/15 SB 259 Prohibits Certain Individuals from Possessing or Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - House (43 - 22)
3/15 SB 121 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (44 - 23)
3/15 S 79 Prohibits the Disclosure of Personally Identifying Information Bill Passed - House (110 - 24)
3/15 SB 121 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (44 - 23)
3/15 SB 128 Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
3/15 SB 6 Requires Individuals to Use Bathrooms According to Gender on Birth Certificate Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
3/15 SB 128 Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)

arrow_upward