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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 27, 2018 | OH | HB 228 | Establishes New Self-Defense and Firearm Handling Rules | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| Dec. 27, 2018 | OH | HB 228 | Establishes New Self-Defense and Firearm Handling Rules | Veto Override Passed - House (67 - 22) |
| Dec. 21, 2018 | MI | HB 4926 | Authorizes Internet Gaming Licenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 35) |
| Dec. 20, 2018 | National | S 756 | First Step Act of 2018 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (358 - 36) |
| Dec. 18, 2018 | National | S 756 | First Step Act of 2018 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
| Dec. 17, 2018 | NJ | S 1036 | Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
| Dec. 17, 2018 | NJ | S 1036 | Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
| Dec. 6, 2018 | OH | HB 228 | Establishes New Self-Defense and Firearm Handling Rules | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 22) |
| Dec. 6, 2018 | OH | HB 228 | Establishes New Self-Defense and Firearm Handling Rules | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Dec. 6, 2018 | OH | SB 250 | Increases Trespass Penalties and Other Crimes Related to Protesting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| Dec. 4, 2018 | MI | SB 1175 | Amends Laws Regarding State Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - House (60 - 48) |
| Nov. 28, 2018 | MI | SB 1175 | Amends Laws Regarding State Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Nov. 27, 2018 | IL | SB 3136 | Authorizes More Discretion by the State Police in Positive Cannabis Testing Terminations | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 24) |
| Nov. 16, 2018 | National | HR 6784 | Manage our Wolves Act | Bill Passed - House (196 - 180) |
| Nov. 14, 2018 | OH | HB 228 | Establishes New Self-Defense and Firearm Handling Rules | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| Nov. 14, 2018 | National | H Res 1142 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6784) to provide for removal of the gray wolf in the contiguous 48 States from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife published under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and providing for proceedings during the period from November 19, 2018, through November 26, 2018. | Bill Passed - House (201 - 187) |
| Oct. 29, 2018 | NJ | S 2465 | Prohibits 3D Printed Firearms | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 0) |
| Oct. 17, 2018 | PA | SB 554 | Establishes Protections for Juvenile Human Trafficking Victims | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0) |
| Oct. 17, 2018 | PA | SB 554 | Establishes Protections for Juvenile Human Trafficking Victims | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0) |
| Oct. 3, 2018 | PA | HB 2060 | Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5) |
| Oct. 3, 2018 | PA | HB 2060 | Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5) |
| Oct. 3, 2018 | MI | HB 4224 | Repeals Ticket Scalping Ban at Sports Events | Bill Passed - House (71 - 36) |
| Oct. 3, 2018 | MI | HB 4224 | Repeals Ticket Scalping Ban at Sports Events | Bill Passed - House (71 - 36) |
| Sept. 27, 2018 | NJ | A 2762 | Amends Temporary Disability Leave Law | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 8) |
| Sept. 26, 2018 | PA | HB 2060 | Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations | Bill Passed - House (131 - 62) |
| Sept. 26, 2018 | PA | HB 2060 | Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations | Bill Passed - House (131 - 62) |
| Sept. 26, 2018 | MI | HB 5548 | Establishes Online Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (107 - 0) |
| Sept. 25, 2018 | PA | SB 261 | Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse | Bill Passed - House (173 - 21) |
| Sept. 17, 2018 | National | HR 6 | Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 1) |
| Sept. 7, 2018 | National | HR 6691 | Community Safety and Security Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (247 - 152) |
| Sept. 5, 2018 | MI | HB 5377 | Amends Prison Parole Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| Sept. 5, 2018 | MI | HB 5377 | Amends Prison Parole Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| Aug. 30, 2018 | ME | LD 1920 | Amends Expungement Requirements for Records under Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (68 - 50) |
| Aug. 28, 2018 | MS | SB 2001 | Establishes Mississippi Lottery Corporation | Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 49) |
| Aug. 27, 2018 | MS | SB 2001 | Establishes Mississippi Lottery Corporation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 17) |
| Aug. 24, 2018 | CA | SB 820 | Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements in Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Cases | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 8) |
| Aug. 23, 2018 | CA | SB 820 | Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements in Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Cases | Bill Passed - House (56 - 19) |
| Aug. 23, 2018 | National | S Amdt 3967 | Senator Rand Paul's Amendment to H.R. 6157 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 48) |
| Aug. 21, 2018 | CA | SB 10 | Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Aug. 21, 2018 | CA | AB 2103 | Requires Concealed Carry Applicants Complete 8 Hours of Gun Safety Training | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| Aug. 20, 2018 | CA | SB 10 | Establishes New Provisions for the Criminal Justice System | Bill Passed - House (42 - 31) |
| Aug. 6, 2018 | CA | AB 282 | Amends the End of Life Option Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| July 26, 2018 | NJ | S 2846 | Authorizes Police to Carry High Capacity Magazines | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 0) |
| July 19, 2018 | MA | S 2598 | Authorizes Diversion Program for First-Time Prostitution Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
| July 11, 2018 | National | HR 200 | Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act | Bill Passed - House (222 - 193) |
| June 28, 2018 | MA | H 4670 | Authorizes Temporary Firearm Removal to Those Deemed a Threat | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (132 - 15) |
| June 28, 2018 | MA | S 2562 | Authorizes Non-Binary Gender on Driver's Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | SB 66 | Authorizes Judges to Sentence Individuals to "Community Control" Facilities | (90 - 2) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | SB 81 | Amends Renewal Procedures for Veteran Concealed Carry Permits | Bill Passed - House (84 - 7) |
| June 27, 2018 | MA | H 4664 | Prohibits Gender Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (137 - 14) |