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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
April 12, 2018 MI SB 741 Prohibits Breed-Specific Ordinances Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 12, 2018 NJ A 2014 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration at More Locations Bill Passed - House (50 - 23)
April 12, 2018 NJ S 1229 Increases Salary For Certain State Cabinet Members, Judges, Prosecutors, and Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
April 11, 2018 MO SJR 27 Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
April 11, 2018 MO SJR 27 Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
April 11, 2018 MO SJR 27 Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
April 10, 2018 CO SB 18-043 Specifies Rules of Nominee Rejections Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
April 7, 2018 MD HB 993 Requires Risk Management in the Investment of System Assets Concurrence Vote Passed - House (92 - 44)
April 5, 2018 CO HB 18-1322 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
April 5, 2018 CA SB 1171 Authorizes Same Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
March 29, 2018 CO HB 18-1322 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Bill Passed - House (42 - 22)
March 28, 2018 AL HB 317 Exempts Certain Individuals from Registering as Lobbyists Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
March 28, 2018 MD HB 829 Establishes No-Excuse Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
March 28, 2018 MD SB 1048 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (93 - 46)
March 26, 2018 SD SB 76 Amends Voter Registration Veto Override Passed - House (56 - 7)
March 23, 2018 National HR 1625 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32)
March 22, 2018 MD HB 532 Establishes Election Day Voter Registration and Same-Day Voting Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
March 22, 2018 National HR 1625 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 Bill Passed - House (256 - 167)
March 21, 2018 MD SB 646 Establishes a Maryland Estate Tax Bill Passed - House (90 - 49)
March 16, 2018 MD SB 1048 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
March 15, 2018 MI HB 5669 Authorizes Additional Forms of Voter Identification Bill Passed - House (62 - 44)
March 13, 2018 PA HB 153 Decreases Size of State Legislature Bill Passed - House (101 - 84)
March 13, 2018 PA HB 153 Decreases Size of State Legislature Bill Passed - House (101 - 84)
March 9, 2018 WV HB 4006 Repeals Department of Education and Arts Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
March 8, 2018 WA HB 3003 Amends Various Police 'Use of Force' Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/12 SB 741 Prohibits Breed-Specific Ordinances Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/12 A 2014 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration at More Locations Bill Passed - House (50 - 23)
4/12 S 1229 Increases Salary For Certain State Cabinet Members, Judges, Prosecutors, and Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
4/11 SJR 27 Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
4/11 SJR 27 Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
4/11 SJR 27 Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
4/10 SB 18-043 Specifies Rules of Nominee Rejections Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
4/07 HB 993 Requires Risk Management in the Investment of System Assets Concurrence Vote Passed - House (92 - 44)
4/05 HB 18-1322 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
4/05 SB 1171 Authorizes Same Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
3/29 HB 18-1322 Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Bill Passed - House (42 - 22)
3/28 HB 317 Exempts Certain Individuals from Registering as Lobbyists Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
3/28 HB 829 Establishes No-Excuse Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
3/28 SB 1048 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (93 - 46)
3/26 SB 76 Amends Voter Registration Veto Override Passed - House (56 - 7)
3/23 HR 1625 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32)
3/22 HB 532 Establishes Election Day Voter Registration and Same-Day Voting Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/22 HR 1625 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 Bill Passed - House (256 - 167)
3/21 SB 646 Establishes a Maryland Estate Tax Bill Passed - House (90 - 49)
3/16 SB 1048 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
3/15 HB 5669 Authorizes Additional Forms of Voter Identification Bill Passed - House (62 - 44)
3/13 HB 153 Decreases Size of State Legislature Bill Passed - House (101 - 84)
3/13 HB 153 Decreases Size of State Legislature Bill Passed - House (101 - 84)
3/09 HB 4006 Repeals Department of Education and Arts Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
3/08 HB 3003 Amends Various Police 'Use of Force' Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)

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