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 3, 2018 | IA | SF 481 | Requires Law Enforcement for Comply with ICE Detainer Requests | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
| April 2, 2018 | TN | SB 1796 | Establishes Process to Remove Domestic Abusers from Cell Phone Plans | Bill Passed - House (94 - 0) |
| April 2, 2018 | MD | HB 1243 | Authorizes Workers to Sue for Unpaid Wages | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12) |
| April 2, 2018 | MD | HB 1243 | Authorizes Workers to Sue for Unpaid Wages | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12) |
| March 30, 2018 | MD | SB 654 | Requires Extension of Union Contracts | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| March 30, 2018 | MD | SB 654 | Requires Extension of Union Contracts | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| March 29, 2018 | ME | LD 521 | Establishes Alignment in Disability Claims with Department of Veteran Affairs | Bill Passed - House (91 - 48) |
| 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 28, 2018 | AZ | SB 1393 | Authorizes Parents to Use Frozen Embryos after Divorce | Bill Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| 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 | NJ | S 104 | Establishes Equal Pay Law | Bill Passed - House (74 - 2) |
| March 26, 2018 | NJ | S 482 | Authorizes Couples to Enter Into Legally Binding Agreements with Surrogate Mothers | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 26, 2018 | MD | SB 654 | Requires Extension of Union Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 26, 2018 | MD | SB 654 | Requires Extension of Union Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 26, 2018 | NJ | S 699 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| March 26, 2018 | NJ | S 482 | Authorizes Couples to Enter Into Legally Binding Agreements with Surrogate Mothers | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 26, 2018 | NJ | A 1827 | Requires Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - House (50 - 24) |
| 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 | MD | HB 1017 | Requires Equal Access to Collective Bargaining New Employee Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 21, 2018 | MI | HB 5456 | Establishes Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Claims Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (83 - 25) |
| March 21, 2018 | NY | S 3698 | Prohibits Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| 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) |
| March 16, 2018 | VT | H 710 | Amends State Beer Franchise Contracts | Bill Passed - House (123 - 11) |
| March 13, 2018 | OK | SB 1140 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 9) |
| March 13, 2018 | PA | HB 153 | Decreases Size of State Legislature | Bill Passed - House (101 - 84) |
| March 12, 2018 | ID | H 448 | Amends Indecent Exposure Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0) |
| March 12, 2018 | MD | HB 811 | Authorizes Collective Bargaining New Employee Processing | Bill Passed - House (84 - 49) |
| March 12, 2018 | MD | HB 811 | Authorizes Collective Bargaining New Employee Processing | Bill Passed - House (84 - 49) |
| March 9, 2018 | WV | HB 4006 | Repeals Department of Education and Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| March 7, 2018 | WA | HB 1506 | Prohibits Employers from Retaliating Against Employees for Discussing Wages | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 28) |
| March 6, 2018 | WA | HB 1506 | Prohibits Employers from Retaliating Against Employees for Discussing Wages | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 12) |
| March 6, 2018 | IN | HB 1203 | Amends Fertility Clinic Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| March 6, 2018 | VA | HB 1257 | Prohibits the Establishment of Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| March 3, 2018 | OR | HB 4111 | Authorizes DMV to Renew and Replace Limited-Term Driver's Licenses for DACA Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 22) |
| March 3, 2018 | WA | SB 5722 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| March 3, 2018 | OR | SB 1563 | Authorizes Undocumented Students to Continue Receiving Financial Aid | Bill Passed - House (36 - 22) |
| March 1, 2018 | WA | HB 1506 | Prohibits Employers from Retaliating Against Employees for Discussing Wages | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| March 1, 2018 | WA | SB 6199 | Authorizes Privatization of Home-Care Workforce | Bill Passed - House (50 - 0) |
| March 1, 2018 | WA | SB 6199 | Authorizes Privatization of Home-Care Workforce | Bill Passed - House (50 - 0) |
| Feb. 28, 2018 | WA | SB 5722 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors | Bill Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| Feb. 27, 2018 | SD | HB 1199 | Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18) |
| Feb. 27, 2018 | WA | SB 5996 | Prohibits Employers from Requiring Sexual Assault Nondisclosure Agreements | Bill Passed - House (98 - 0) |
| Feb. 27, 2018 | WA | SB 6037 | Authorizes Financial Compensation of Surrogates | Bill Passed - House (50 - 47) |
| Feb. 26, 2018 | NJ | S 478 | Authorizes Birth Certificate Gender Changes | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| Feb. 23, 2018 | WA | SB 6617 | Exempts Legislators from Public Records Law | Bill Passed - House (83 - 14) |
| Feb. 23, 2018 | WA | SB 6617 | Exempts Legislators from Public Records Law | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| Feb. 23, 2018 | GA | SB 375 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19) |
| Feb. 22, 2018 | OR | HB 4145 | Prohibits Convicted Stalkers from Possessing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| Feb. 22, 2018 | MI | HB 4053 | Establishes English as Official Language | Bill Passed - House (62 - 46) |
| Feb. 22, 2018 | AZ | SB 1393 | Authorizes Parents to Use Frozen Embryos after Divorce | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| Feb. 21, 2018 | KY | HB 2 | Amends Workers' Compensation Law | Bill Passed - House (55 - 39) |
| Feb. 20, 2018 | WI | AB 128 | Prohibits Abortion Coverage in State Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Feb. 20, 2018 | WI | AB 1 | Increases Work Hour Requirements for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Feb. 20, 2018 | ID | H 419 | Prohibits Courts from Ruling Based on Foreign Law | Bill Passed - House (44 - 24) |
| Feb. 20, 2018 | OR | HB 4113 | Requires School Districts to Bargain About Class Size | Bill Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| Feb. 20, 2018 | OR | HB 4113 | Requires School Districts to Bargain About Class Size | Bill Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | National | S Amdt 1955 | Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | National | S Amdt 1959 | Secure and Succeed Act (Grassley Amendment) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (39 - 60) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | National | S Amdt 1958 | Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | National | S Amdt 1948 | Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | WI | AB 10 | Requires Photo Identification for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (61 - 36) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | OR | HB 4145 | Prohibits Convicted Stalkers from Possessing Firearms | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | WI | AB 1 | Increases Work Hour Requirements for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| Feb. 14, 2018 | NM | SB 19 | Amends Guardianship Laws | Bill Passed - House (63 - 0) |
| Feb. 13, 2018 | VA | HB 1257 | Prohibits the Establishment of Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| Feb. 13, 2018 | SD | HB 1199 | Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| Feb. 10, 2018 | WA | SB 6199 | Authorizes Privatization of Home-Care Workforce | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| Feb. 10, 2018 | WA | SB 6199 | Authorizes Privatization of Home-Care Workforce | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| Feb. 8, 2018 | NH | HB 628 | Requires Paid Family and Medical Leave | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (186 - 164) |
| Feb. 8, 2018 | MI | HB 5456 | Establishes Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Claims Act | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| Feb. 1, 2018 | MD | SB 120 | Authorizes Mutual-Consent Divorce for Parents without Year Separation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| Jan. 31, 2018 | MI | SB 660 | Extends the Deadline for 100 Percent Cage-Free Eggs to 2025 | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| Jan. 31, 2018 | WV | HB 4006 | Repeals Department of Education and Arts | Bill Passed - House (60 - 36) |
| Jan. 29, 2018 | WV | HB 2546 | Authorizes Company Equipment Cost Deductions from an Employee's Final Paycheck | Bill Passed - House (61 - 35) |
| Jan. 25, 2018 | AL | SB 92 | Reduces Time Period of Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| Jan. 19, 2018 | WA | SB 5722 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Jan. 17, 2018 | WA | HB 1506 | Prohibits Employers from Retaliating Against Employees for Discussing Wages | Bill Passed - House (69 - 28) |
| Jan. 12, 2018 | FL | HB 9 | Prohibits Local Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - House (71 - 35) |
| Jan. 10, 2018 | National | S 140 | An Act to amend the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to clarify the use of amounts in the WMAT Settlement Fund | Bill Passed - House (239 - 173) |