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 12, 2018 | NJ | A 764 | Requires Panic Alarms in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (66 - 6) |
| April 11, 2018 | MO | SJR 27 | Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| April 11, 2018 | PA | HB 1419 | Authorizes Limited Access to Certain Criminal Records | Bill Passed - House (188 - 2) |
| April 11, 2018 | PA | HB 456 | Establishes Regulations for Tattoo Industry | Bill Passed - House (173 - 17) |
| April 11, 2018 | OH | SB 231 | Establishes Database of Violent Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2) |
| April 7, 2018 | KS | HB 2482 | Prohibits Contracts with Businesses That Boycott Israel | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 32) |
| April 7, 2018 | KS | HB 2028 | Establishes the Kansas Telemedicine Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 14) |
| April 5, 2018 | MD | SB 639 | Establishes Disciplinary Hearing Procedures for Public School Employees | Veto Override Passed - House (89 - 49) |
| April 5, 2018 | MD | SB 639 | Establishes Disciplinary Hearing Procedures for Public School Employees | Veto Override Passed - House (89 - 49) |
| April 5, 2018 | MD | HB 1782 | Establishes Individual Market Stabilization within Healthcare | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (89 - 48) |
| April 4, 2018 | IA | SF 481 | Requires Law Enforcement for Comply with ICE Detainer Requests | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 18) |
| April 4, 2018 | MA | S 2371 | Amends Criminal Justice Law | Conference Report Adopted - House (148 - 5) |
| April 4, 2018 | TN | SB 1631 | Prohibits Renting Hotel Rooms for Less than 7 Hours | Bill Failed - House (38 - 45) |
| April 4, 2018 | MA | S 2372 | Establishes the Garden of Peace Trust Fund | Conference Report Adopted - House (152 - 0) |
| April 4, 2018 | MA | S 2371 | Amends Criminal Justice Law | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 0) |
| April 3, 2018 | MD | SB 101 | Amends Certain Definitions and Regulations for Crimes of Violence | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |
| April 3, 2018 | IA | SF 481 | Requires Law Enforcement for Comply with ICE Detainer Requests | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
| April 3, 2018 | RI | S 2299 | Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1) |
| April 3, 2018 | MO | HB 1486 | Establishes Work Requirements for SNAP Benefits | Bill Passed - House (107 - 43) |
| April 2, 2018 | MD | HB 1243 | Authorizes Workers to Sue for Unpaid Wages | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12) |
| April 2, 2018 | TN | SB 1796 | Establishes Process to Remove Domestic Abusers from Cell Phone Plans | Bill Passed - House (94 - 0) |
| March 30, 2018 | MD | HB 908 | Requires Insurance Companies to Cover Fertility Treatments for Cancer Patients | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0) |
| March 30, 2018 | MD | SB 654 | Requires Extension of Union Contracts | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| March 30, 2018 | NY | S 8121 | Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms | Bill Passed - House (94 - 34) |
| March 30, 2018 | NY | S 8121 | Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| March 29, 2018 | HI | HB 2739 | Authorizes Medical Aid in Dying | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| March 28, 2018 | AL | HB 317 | Exempts Certain Individuals from Registering as Lobbyists | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| March 28, 2018 | AL | HB 317 | Exempts Certain Individuals from Registering as Lobbyists | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| March 27, 2018 | CO | SB 18-200 | Amends Public Retirement System Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| March 26, 2018 | MD | SB 859 | Establishes State Parental Leave | Bill Passed - House (96 - 41) |
| March 26, 2018 | MD | SB 654 | Requires Extension of Union Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 26, 2018 | NJ | S 1036 | Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| March 26, 2018 | NJ | S 699 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| March 25, 2018 | MS | HB 1593 | Appropriates Funds for Educational Television | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 16) |
| March 22, 2018 | MI | SB 727 | Amends Certain Education Teaching Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| March 22, 2018 | NH | HB 628 | Requires Paid Family and Medical Leave | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (171 - 162) |
| March 22, 2018 | KY | HB 2 | Amends Workers' Compensation Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| March 22, 2018 | MD | HB 1017 | Requires Equal Access to Collective Bargaining New Employee Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 22, 2018 | KS | HB 2457 | Establishes the Asbestos Trust Claims Transparency Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| March 21, 2018 | MI | HB 5456 | Establishes Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Claims Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (83 - 25) |
| March 21, 2018 | IA | SF 2117 | Amends Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| March 21, 2018 | ID | H 658 | Amends Trespassing Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| March 21, 2018 | ID | H 658 | Amends Trespassing Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| March 21, 2018 | National | HR 1865 | Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2) |
| March 21, 2018 | MI | SB 727 | Amends Certain Education Teaching Requirements | Bill Passed - House (85 - 23) |
| March 21, 2018 | NY | S 3698 | Prohibits Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| March 21, 2018 | OH | HB 410 | Establishes Monetary Penalties for Red Light Camera Tickets Going to Trial | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
| March 21, 2018 | National | HR 5247 | Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (259 - 140) |
| March 20, 2018 | IA | SF 2117 | Amends Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| March 20, 2018 | National | S J Res 54 | To Direct the Removal of United States Armed Forces from Hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been Authorized by Congress | Bill Tabled - Senate (55 - 44) |