Key Votes

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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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 20, 2018 National S 756 First Step Act of 2018 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (358 - 36)
Dec. 17, 2018 NJ S 1036 Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Bill Passed - House (41 - 34)
Dec. 13, 2018 MI HB 5526 Establishes A to F Letter Rating System For Schools Bill Passed - House (56 - 53)
Dec. 4, 2018 MI SB 1171 Amends Minimum Wage Increases Bill Passed - House (60 - 48)
Nov. 29, 2018 NC SB 820 Increases Incentives Cap for High-Wage Corporate Jobs Bill Passed - House (78 - 23)
Nov. 27, 2018 IL SB 3136 Authorizes More Discretion by the State Police in Positive Cannabis Testing Terminations Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 24)
Sept. 27, 2018 NJ A 3312 Requires State Legislature to Maintain Sexual Harassment Policy Bill Passed - House (79 - 0)
Sept. 26, 2018 PA HB 2060 Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations Bill Passed - House (131 - 62)
Sept. 13, 2018 National HR 1911 Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act of 2018 (393 - 2)
Sept. 7, 2018 National HR 6691 Community Safety and Security Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (247 - 152)
Aug. 23, 2018 CA SB 820 Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements in Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Cases Bill Passed - House (56 - 19)
Aug. 20, 2018 CA SB 10 Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System Bill Passed - House (42 - 31)
Aug. 16, 2018 CA SB 1192 Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
July 30, 2018 MA H 4841 Authorizes New Tax Regulations and Insurance Requirements for Short-Term Rentals Bill Passed - House (119 - 30)
July 25, 2018 National HR 6199 Restoring Access to Medication and Modernizing Health Savings Accounts Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (277 - 142)
July 25, 2018 National HR 6311 Increasing Access to Lower Premium Plans and Expanding Health Savings Accounts Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (242 - 176)
July 19, 2018 National HR 6147 Interior, Environment, Financial Services, and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 Bill Passed - House (217 - 199)
July 18, 2018 UT HB 2001 Amends Jurisdictional Boundaries of Utah Inland Port Authority Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 5)
July 13, 2018 National HR 50 Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (230 - 168)
July 12, 2018 National HR 3281 Reclamation Title Transfer and Non-Federal Infrastructure Incentivization Act Bill Passed - House (233 - 184)
July 12, 2018 National HR 3281 Reclamation Title Transfer and Non-Federal Infrastructure Incentivization Act Bill Passed - House (233 - 184)
July 1, 2018 DE SB 170 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (21 - 18)
June 30, 2018 NJ A 4208 Establishes a New Jersey Complete Count Commission Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 21)
June 27, 2018 OH SB 66 Authorizes Judges to Sentence Individuals to "Community Control" Facilities (90 - 2)
June 27, 2018 OH HB 349 Establishes Criminal Penalties for Mistreatment of Search and Rescue Animals Bill Passed - House (78 - 15)
June 27, 2018 OH HB 479 Amends Previous Prescription Drug Cost Laws Bill Passed - House (93 - 0)
June 27, 2018 National HR 6136 Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018 Bill Failed - House (121 - 301)
June 26, 2018 ME LD 1869 Establishes Total Cost of Education and State and Local Contributions to Education Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Bill Passed - House (65 - 43)
June 25, 2018 NJ A 4249 Increases the Use of Hospital Admission Fees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 25)
June 25, 2018 PA HB 1037 Limits Punitive Damages in Certain Medical Lawsuits Bill Failed - House (91 - 103)
June 22, 2018 PA HB 2468 Requires Court Order for Eminent Domain on Conserved Lands Concurrence Vote Passed - House (177 - 15)
June 22, 2018 PA HB 2468 Requires Court Order for Eminent Domain on Conserved Lands Concurrence Vote Passed - House (177 - 15)
June 22, 2018 PA HB 1448 Requires Lead Testing in School Water Systems Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 1)
June 22, 2018 National HR 6 Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (396 - 14)
June 21, 2018 NJ A 4207 Establishes Medicaid Emergency Room Triage Reimbursement Fee for Low Acuity Emergency Room Encounters Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
June 21, 2018 NJ ACR 180 Recommends Congressional Support for Keep Families Together Act Bill Passed - House (60 - 4)
June 21, 2018 National HR 4760 Securing America's Future Act of 2018 Bill Failed - House (193 - 231)
June 20, 2018 OH SB 4 Authorizes Expunged Convictions for Victims of Human Trafficking Bill Passed - House (81 - 12)
June 20, 2018 OH HB 365 Amends Prison Parole and Sentencing Laws Bill Passed - House (90 - 3)
June 19, 2018 MA H 4617 Increases Access to Affordable High Quality Health Insurance Bill Passed - House (117 - 32)
June 14, 2018 RI H 7715 Classifies Delivery a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death as a Crime Bill Passed - House (55 - 14)
June 14, 2018 National HR 5735 THRIVE Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 173)
June 13, 2018 NC SB 616 Establishes Heroin And Opioid Prevention and Enforcement Act Bill Passed - House (87 - 25)
June 13, 2018 NY A 6823 Amends Sex Trafficking Definition Bill Passed - House (137 - 0)
June 13, 2018 NC HB 1055 Amends Pension Benefit Regulations Bill Passed - House (81 - 34)
June 13, 2018 PA HB 1810 Requires Data Information Sharing for Hosting Platforms Bill Passed - House (177 - 14)
June 12, 2018 MI HB 5141 Reduces Teacher Certification Requirements for Certain Vocational or Technical Trade Classes Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 47)
June 12, 2018 MI HB 4265 Require Cars Passing Bicyclists to Give 3 Feet When Passing Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 10)
June 12, 2018 MI SB 542 Establishes Pesticide Notification Registry Bill Passed - House (66 - 42)
June 7, 2018 OH HB 411 Requires Compensation for Wrongfully Imprisoned Individuals Bill Passed - House (77 - 11)
June 7, 2018 OH HB 456 Prohibits Required Overtime for Nurses Bill Passed - House (77 - 11)
June 6, 2018 NY A 2142 Requires Certain Marijuana Convictions be Sealed Bill Passed - House (98 - 41)
June 6, 2018 NY A 10828 Amends Housing Finance Laws Bill Passed - House (107 - 33)
May 31, 2018 IL HB 2617 Requires Coverage of Egg or Sperm Preservation Concurrence Vote Passed - House (76 - 30)
May 31, 2018 IL SB 336 Establishes the Alternatives to Opioids Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (72 - 38)
May 30, 2018 IL SB 2562 Authorizes Police Drone Surveillance Bill Passed - House (74 - 35)
May 30, 2018 IL SB 2332 Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Tobacco Products Bill Passed - House (61 - 49)
May 30, 2018 IL SB 2560 Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act Bill Passed - House (66 - 50)
May 30, 2018 IL SB 3489 Amends the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act. Bill Passed - House (73 - 42)
May 30, 2018 CA AB 2965 Authorizes Medicaid Benefits for Undocumented Children Bill Passed - House (47 - 25)
May 30, 2018 CA AB 3080 Prohibits Nondisclosure Agreements Regarding Workplace Harassment Bill Passed - House (47 - 25)
May 24, 2018 MI HB 6043 Requires School Districts to Report Inappropriate Conduct within 60 Days Bill Passed - House (88 - 21)
May 23, 2018 NC SB 470 Amends Asbestos Claim Filing Procedures Bill Passed - House (78 - 30)
May 23, 2018 IL HB 2354 Authorizes Courts to Confiscate Firearms from Potentially Dangerous Individuals Bill Passed - House (80 - 32)
May 23, 2018 MA H 4517 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (139 - 14)
May 22, 2018 National S 204 Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (250 - 169)
May 22, 2018 National HR 5682 FIRST STEP Act Bill Passed - House (360 - 59)
May 18, 2018 MN HF 3232 Amends the State's Solar Energy Incentive Program Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 35)
May 17, 2018 RI H 8042 Requires Publicizing Financial Records of Government Officials Bill Passed - House (61 - 7)
May 16, 2018 LA HB 85 Exempts Certain Boards and Commissions From Disclosure Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 28)
May 16, 2018 National HR 5698 Protect and Serve Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (382 - 35)
May 16, 2018 NY A 3557 Requires Public Education about Veterans' Mental Health Bill Passed - House (137 - 0)
May 15, 2018 LA SB 389 Amends Probation Regulations Bill Passed - House (81 - 6)
May 15, 2018 MI SB 839 Amends Mining Permit Laws Bill Passed - House (63 - 45)
May 15, 2018 MI HB 5901 Extends Funding for Statewide Trauma System Bill Passed - House (69 - 39)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/20 S 756 First Step Act of 2018 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (358 - 36)
12/17 S 1036 Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Bill Passed - House (41 - 34)
12/13 HB 5526 Establishes A to F Letter Rating System For Schools Bill Passed - House (56 - 53)
12/04 SB 1171 Amends Minimum Wage Increases Bill Passed - House (60 - 48)
11/29 SB 820 Increases Incentives Cap for High-Wage Corporate Jobs Bill Passed - House (78 - 23)
11/27 SB 3136 Authorizes More Discretion by the State Police in Positive Cannabis Testing Terminations Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 24)
9/27 A 3312 Requires State Legislature to Maintain Sexual Harassment Policy Bill Passed - House (79 - 0)
9/26 HB 2060 Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations Bill Passed - House (131 - 62)
9/13 HR 1911 Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act of 2018 (393 - 2)
9/07 HR 6691 Community Safety and Security Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (247 - 152)
8/23 SB 820 Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements in Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Cases Bill Passed - House (56 - 19)
8/20 SB 10 Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System Bill Passed - House (42 - 31)
8/16 SB 1192 Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
7/30 H 4841 Authorizes New Tax Regulations and Insurance Requirements for Short-Term Rentals Bill Passed - House (119 - 30)
7/25 HR 6199 Restoring Access to Medication and Modernizing Health Savings Accounts Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (277 - 142)
7/25 HR 6311 Increasing Access to Lower Premium Plans and Expanding Health Savings Accounts Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (242 - 176)
7/19 HR 6147 Interior, Environment, Financial Services, and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 Bill Passed - House (217 - 199)
7/18 HB 2001 Amends Jurisdictional Boundaries of Utah Inland Port Authority Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 5)
7/13 HR 50 Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (230 - 168)
7/12 HR 3281 Reclamation Title Transfer and Non-Federal Infrastructure Incentivization Act Bill Passed - House (233 - 184)
7/12 HR 3281 Reclamation Title Transfer and Non-Federal Infrastructure Incentivization Act Bill Passed - House (233 - 184)
7/01 SB 170 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (21 - 18)
6/30 A 4208 Establishes a New Jersey Complete Count Commission Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 21)
6/27 SB 66 Authorizes Judges to Sentence Individuals to "Community Control" Facilities (90 - 2)
6/27 HB 349 Establishes Criminal Penalties for Mistreatment of Search and Rescue Animals Bill Passed - House (78 - 15)
6/27 HB 479 Amends Previous Prescription Drug Cost Laws Bill Passed - House (93 - 0)
6/27 HR 6136 Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018 Bill Failed - House (121 - 301)
6/26 LD 1869 Establishes Total Cost of Education and State and Local Contributions to Education Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Bill Passed - House (65 - 43)
6/25 A 4249 Increases the Use of Hospital Admission Fees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 25)
6/25 HB 1037 Limits Punitive Damages in Certain Medical Lawsuits Bill Failed - House (91 - 103)
6/22 HB 2468 Requires Court Order for Eminent Domain on Conserved Lands Concurrence Vote Passed - House (177 - 15)
6/22 HB 2468 Requires Court Order for Eminent Domain on Conserved Lands Concurrence Vote Passed - House (177 - 15)
6/22 HB 1448 Requires Lead Testing in School Water Systems Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 1)
6/22 HR 6 Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (396 - 14)
6/21 A 4207 Establishes Medicaid Emergency Room Triage Reimbursement Fee for Low Acuity Emergency Room Encounters Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
6/21 ACR 180 Recommends Congressional Support for Keep Families Together Act Bill Passed - House (60 - 4)
6/21 HR 4760 Securing America's Future Act of 2018 Bill Failed - House (193 - 231)
6/20 SB 4 Authorizes Expunged Convictions for Victims of Human Trafficking Bill Passed - House (81 - 12)
6/20 HB 365 Amends Prison Parole and Sentencing Laws Bill Passed - House (90 - 3)
6/19 H 4617 Increases Access to Affordable High Quality Health Insurance Bill Passed - House (117 - 32)
6/14 H 7715 Classifies Delivery a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death as a Crime Bill Passed - House (55 - 14)
6/14 HR 5735 THRIVE Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 173)
6/13 SB 616 Establishes Heroin And Opioid Prevention and Enforcement Act Bill Passed - House (87 - 25)
6/13 A 6823 Amends Sex Trafficking Definition Bill Passed - House (137 - 0)
6/13 HB 1055 Amends Pension Benefit Regulations Bill Passed - House (81 - 34)
6/13 HB 1810 Requires Data Information Sharing for Hosting Platforms Bill Passed - House (177 - 14)
6/12 HB 5141 Reduces Teacher Certification Requirements for Certain Vocational or Technical Trade Classes Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 47)
6/12 HB 4265 Require Cars Passing Bicyclists to Give 3 Feet When Passing Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 10)
6/12 SB 542 Establishes Pesticide Notification Registry Bill Passed - House (66 - 42)
6/07 HB 411 Requires Compensation for Wrongfully Imprisoned Individuals Bill Passed - House (77 - 11)
6/07 HB 456 Prohibits Required Overtime for Nurses Bill Passed - House (77 - 11)
6/06 A 2142 Requires Certain Marijuana Convictions be Sealed Bill Passed - House (98 - 41)
6/06 A 10828 Amends Housing Finance Laws Bill Passed - House (107 - 33)
5/31 HB 2617 Requires Coverage of Egg or Sperm Preservation Concurrence Vote Passed - House (76 - 30)
5/31 SB 336 Establishes the Alternatives to Opioids Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (72 - 38)
5/30 SB 2562 Authorizes Police Drone Surveillance Bill Passed - House (74 - 35)
5/30 SB 2332 Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Tobacco Products Bill Passed - House (61 - 49)
5/30 SB 2560 Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act Bill Passed - House (66 - 50)
5/30 SB 3489 Amends the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act. Bill Passed - House (73 - 42)
5/30 AB 2965 Authorizes Medicaid Benefits for Undocumented Children Bill Passed - House (47 - 25)
5/30 AB 3080 Prohibits Nondisclosure Agreements Regarding Workplace Harassment Bill Passed - House (47 - 25)
5/24 HB 6043 Requires School Districts to Report Inappropriate Conduct within 60 Days Bill Passed - House (88 - 21)
5/23 SB 470 Amends Asbestos Claim Filing Procedures Bill Passed - House (78 - 30)
5/23 HB 2354 Authorizes Courts to Confiscate Firearms from Potentially Dangerous Individuals Bill Passed - House (80 - 32)
5/23 H 4517 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (139 - 14)
5/22 S 204 Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (250 - 169)
5/22 HR 5682 FIRST STEP Act Bill Passed - House (360 - 59)
5/18 HF 3232 Amends the State's Solar Energy Incentive Program Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 35)
5/17 H 8042 Requires Publicizing Financial Records of Government Officials Bill Passed - House (61 - 7)
5/16 HB 85 Exempts Certain Boards and Commissions From Disclosure Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 28)
5/16 HR 5698 Protect and Serve Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (382 - 35)
5/16 A 3557 Requires Public Education about Veterans' Mental Health Bill Passed - House (137 - 0)
5/15 SB 389 Amends Probation Regulations Bill Passed - House (81 - 6)
5/15 SB 839 Amends Mining Permit Laws Bill Passed - House (63 - 45)
5/15 HB 5901 Extends Funding for Statewide Trauma System Bill Passed - House (69 - 39)

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