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
April 2, 2018 MD HB 1243 Authorizes Workers to Sue for Unpaid Wages Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
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 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 S 482 Authorizes Couples to Enter Into Legally Binding Agreements with Surrogate Mothers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
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 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 13, 2018 OK SB 1140 Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 9)
March 12, 2018 ID H 448 Amends Indecent Exposure Laws Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
March 9, 2018 WV HB 4006 Repeals Department of Education and Arts Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
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 WA SB 5722 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
March 1, 2018 WA HB 1506 Prohibits Employers from Retaliating Against Employees for Discussing Wages Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Feb. 27, 2018 SD HB 1199 Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18)
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 - 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 AZ SB 1393 Authorizes Parents to Use Frozen Embryos after Divorce Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
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. 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. 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. 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. 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)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/02 HB 1243 Authorizes Workers to Sue for Unpaid Wages Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
3/28 HB 317 Exempts Certain Individuals from Registering as Lobbyists Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
3/28 HB 317 Exempts Certain Individuals from Registering as Lobbyists Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
3/27 SB 18-200 Amends Public Retirement System Policies Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
3/26 SB 654 Requires Extension of Union Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/26 SB 654 Requires Extension of Union Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/26 S 699 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
3/26 S 482 Authorizes Couples to Enter Into Legally Binding Agreements with Surrogate Mothers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
3/26 S 482 Authorizes Couples to Enter Into Legally Binding Agreements with Surrogate Mothers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
3/22 HB 2 Amends Workers' Compensation Law Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
3/22 HB 1017 Requires Equal Access to Collective Bargaining New Employee Programs Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/22 HB 1017 Requires Equal Access to Collective Bargaining New Employee Programs Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/21 S 3698 Prohibits Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29)
3/20 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)
3/13 SB 1140 Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 9)
3/12 H 448 Amends Indecent Exposure Laws Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
3/09 HB 4006 Repeals Department of Education and Arts Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
3/06 HB 1506 Prohibits Employers from Retaliating Against Employees for Discussing Wages Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 12)
3/06 HB 1203 Amends Fertility Clinic Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
3/06 HB 1257 Prohibits the Establishment of Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
3/03 SB 5722 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
3/01 HB 1506 Prohibits Employers from Retaliating Against Employees for Discussing Wages Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
2/27 HB 1199 Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18)
2/26 S 478 Authorizes Birth Certificate Gender Changes Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
2/23 SB 6617 Exempts Legislators from Public Records Law Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
2/23 SB 375 Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19)
2/22 HB 4145 Prohibits Convicted Stalkers from Possessing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
2/22 SB 1393 Authorizes Parents to Use Frozen Embryos after Divorce Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
2/20 AB 128 Prohibits Abortion Coverage in State Health Insurance Plans Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
2/20 AB 1 Increases Work Hour Requirements for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
2/15 S Amdt 1955 Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
2/15 S Amdt 1959 Secure and Succeed Act (Grassley Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (39 - 60)
2/15 S Amdt 1958 Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
2/15 S Amdt 1948 Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
2/10 SB 6199 Authorizes Privatization of Home-Care Workforce Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
2/10 SB 6199 Authorizes Privatization of Home-Care Workforce Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
2/01 SB 120 Authorizes Mutual-Consent Divorce for Parents without Year Separation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
1/31 SB 660 Extends the Deadline for 100 Percent Cage-Free Eggs to 2025 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
1/25 SB 92 Reduces Time Period of Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
1/19 SB 5722 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16)

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