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
March 26, 2018 NJ S 1036 Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
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 2761 Prohibits Firearm Magazines with More than 10 Rounds Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
March 26, 2018 NJ A 1827 Requires Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - House (50 - 24)
March 26, 2018 NJ A 2757 Requires Background Checks for Private Gun Sales Bill Passed - House (62 - 10)
March 22, 2018 NH HB 628 Requires Paid Family and Medical Leave "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (171 - 162)
March 22, 2018 MD HB 532 Establishes Election Day Voter Registration and Same-Day Voting Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
March 22, 2018 NH SB 569 Amends Pet Vendor Regulations "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5)
March 21, 2018 ID H 658 Amends Trespassing Laws Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
March 21, 2018 National HR 1865 Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
March 21, 2018 National HR 1865 Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
March 21, 2018 National HR 5247 Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (259 - 140)
March 21, 2018 OH HB 410 Establishes Monetary Penalties for Red Light Camera Tickets Going to Trial Bill Passed - House (71 - 24)
March 21, 2018 OH HB 506 Amends Laws Related to High-Volume Dog Breeding Bill Passed - House (75 - 22)
March 21, 2018 NY S 3698 Prohibits Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29)
March 20, 2018 DE HB 330 Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Firearms Bill Passed - House (24 - 16)
March 18, 2018 IL HB 1465 Establishes Age Limit for Purchase of Assault-Style Weapons Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22)
March 16, 2018 ID H 665 Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
March 16, 2018 ID H 649 Amends Drug Use Laws Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
March 16, 2018 ID H 649 Amends Drug Use Laws Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
March 16, 2018 MD SB 790 Repeals State Song Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 13)
March 15, 2018 KS HB 2042 Authorizes Individuals Aged 18-20 to Obtain a Concealed Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
March 15, 2018 NH SB 593 Repeals Death Penalty "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
March 15, 2018 AL HB 225 Amends State Juvenile Justice Laws Bill Passed - House (69 - 20)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/26 S 1036 Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
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 A 2761 Prohibits Firearm Magazines with More than 10 Rounds Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
3/26 A 1827 Requires Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - House (50 - 24)
3/26 A 2757 Requires Background Checks for Private Gun Sales Bill Passed - House (62 - 10)
3/22 HB 628 Requires Paid Family and Medical Leave "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (171 - 162)
3/22 HB 532 Establishes Election Day Voter Registration and Same-Day Voting Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/22 SB 569 Amends Pet Vendor Regulations "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5)
3/21 H 658 Amends Trespassing Laws Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
3/21 HR 1865 Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
3/21 HR 1865 Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
3/21 HR 5247 Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2018 Bill Passed - House (259 - 140)
3/21 HB 410 Establishes Monetary Penalties for Red Light Camera Tickets Going to Trial Bill Passed - House (71 - 24)
3/21 HB 506 Amends Laws Related to High-Volume Dog Breeding Bill Passed - House (75 - 22)
3/21 S 3698 Prohibits Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29)
3/20 HB 330 Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Firearms Bill Passed - House (24 - 16)
3/18 HB 1465 Establishes Age Limit for Purchase of Assault-Style Weapons Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 22)
3/16 H 665 Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
3/16 H 649 Amends Drug Use Laws Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
3/16 H 649 Amends Drug Use Laws Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
3/16 SB 790 Repeals State Song Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 13)
3/15 HB 2042 Authorizes Individuals Aged 18-20 to Obtain a Concealed Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
3/15 SB 593 Repeals Death Penalty "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
3/15 HB 225 Amends State Juvenile Justice Laws Bill Passed - House (69 - 20)

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