Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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 15, 2018 AK HB 316 Amends Rules Concerning Release of Marijuana Conviction Records Bill Passed - House (30 - 10)
April 13, 2018 KY HB 169 Amends Criminal Laws Related to Gang Violence Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 30)
April 12, 2018 TN HB 849 Authorizes GPS Monitoring for Domestic Abuse Defendants Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 5)
April 12, 2018 NJ S 122 Authorizes Tax Credits for Film Production Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
April 12, 2018 TN HB 849 Authorizes GPS Monitoring for Domestic Abuse Defendants Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 5)
April 12, 2018 NJ S 122 Authorizes Tax Credits for Film Production Bill Passed - House (59 - 14)
April 12, 2018 NJ S 699 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - House (49 - 24)
April 12, 2018 NJ A 1827 Requires Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
April 12, 2018 NJ A 3686 Increases State Protections for Labor Unions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
April 12, 2018 MI HB 4891 Authorizes Parents to Monitor Child's Communications Bill Passed - House (105 - 3)
April 12, 2018 NJ A 3686 Increases State Protections for Labor Unions Bill Passed - House (50 - 22)
April 12, 2018 RI H 7075 Prohibits Bump Stocks Bill Passed - House (65 - 3)
April 12, 2018 ME LD 912 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Bill Passed - House (76 - 68)
April 12, 2018 RI H 7688 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (60 - 8)
April 12, 2018 RI H 7688 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (60 - 8)
April 12, 2018 RI H 7452 Prohibits Sharing Explicit Images without Consent Bill Passed - House (66 - 0)
April 12, 2018 MI SB 741 Prohibits Breed-Specific Ordinances Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 12, 2018 NJ A 764 Requires Panic Alarms in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (66 - 6)
April 11, 2018 OH SB 231 Establishes Database of Violent Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2)
April 11, 2018 PA HB 1419 Authorizes Limited Access to Certain Criminal Records Bill Passed - House (188 - 2)
April 9, 2018 TN SJR 141 Authorizes Relocation of President James K. Polk's Body Bill Passed - House (51 - 37)
April 6, 2018 OK HB 3375 Authorizes Sports Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 16)
April 5, 2018 MD HB 819 Amends Handgun Permit Rules and Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (98 - 31)
April 4, 2018 IA SF 481 Requires Law Enforcement for Comply with ICE Detainer Requests Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 18)
April 4, 2018 MA S 2371 Amends Criminal Justice Law Conference Report Adopted - House (148 - 5)
April 4, 2018 TN SB 1631 Prohibits Renting Hotel Rooms for Less than 7 Hours Bill Failed - House (38 - 45)
April 4, 2018 MA S 2372 Establishes the Garden of Peace Trust Fund Conference Report Adopted - House (152 - 0)
April 4, 2018 MA S 2371 Amends Criminal Justice Law Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 0)
April 3, 2018 MD SB 101 Amends Certain Definitions and Regulations for Crimes of Violence Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
April 3, 2018 MD HB 1302 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protective Order Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 46)
April 3, 2018 MD SB 101 Amends Certain Definitions and Regulations for Crimes of Violence Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
April 3, 2018 IA SF 481 Requires Law Enforcement for Comply with ICE Detainer Requests Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)
April 3, 2018 MD HB 447 Establishes Pretrial Services Program Grant Fund Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 11)
April 2, 2018 TN SB 1796 Establishes Process to Remove Domestic Abusers from Cell Phone Plans Bill Passed - House (94 - 0)
April 2, 2018 TN SB 1796 Establishes Process to Remove Domestic Abusers from Cell Phone Plans Bill Passed - House (94 - 0)
March 30, 2018 MD HB 908 Requires Insurance Companies to Cover Fertility Treatments for Cancer Patients Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0)
March 30, 2018 NY S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - House (94 - 34)
March 30, 2018 VT S 55 Amends Various State Gun Laws Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
March 30, 2018 NY S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - House (94 - 34)
March 30, 2018 NY S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
March 30, 2018 NY S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
March 29, 2018 DE HB 399 Amends State Constitution to Provide Equal Rights Bill Passed - House (34 - 5)
March 28, 2018 AZ SB 1393 Authorizes Parents to Use Frozen Embryos after Divorce Bill Passed - House (33 - 25)
March 28, 2018 AZ SB 1393 Authorizes Parents to Use Frozen Embryos after Divorce Bill Passed - House (33 - 25)
March 28, 2018 MD SB 900 Amends Rules and Regulations to the Gaming Industry Bill Passed - House (87 - 45)
March 27, 2018 VT S 55 Amends Various State Gun Laws Bill Passed - House (89 - 54)
March 26, 2018 NJ S 1036 Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
March 26, 2018 NJ A 2758 Requires Justifiable Need to Carry a Handgun Bill Passed - House (48 - 26)
March 26, 2018 NJ A 1217 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protective Orders Bill Passed - House (59 - 12)
March 26, 2018 NJ A 1181 Amends Various Firearm Confiscation Measures Bill Passed - House (62 - 7)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/15 HB 316 Amends Rules Concerning Release of Marijuana Conviction Records Bill Passed - House (30 - 10)
4/13 HB 169 Amends Criminal Laws Related to Gang Violence Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 30)
4/12 HB 849 Authorizes GPS Monitoring for Domestic Abuse Defendants Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 5)
4/12 S 122 Authorizes Tax Credits for Film Production Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
4/12 HB 849 Authorizes GPS Monitoring for Domestic Abuse Defendants Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 5)
4/12 S 122 Authorizes Tax Credits for Film Production Bill Passed - House (59 - 14)
4/12 S 699 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - House (49 - 24)
4/12 A 1827 Requires Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
4/12 A 3686 Increases State Protections for Labor Unions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
4/12 HB 4891 Authorizes Parents to Monitor Child's Communications Bill Passed - House (105 - 3)
4/12 A 3686 Increases State Protections for Labor Unions Bill Passed - House (50 - 22)
4/12 H 7075 Prohibits Bump Stocks Bill Passed - House (65 - 3)
4/12 LD 912 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Bill Passed - House (76 - 68)
4/12 H 7688 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (60 - 8)
4/12 H 7688 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (60 - 8)
4/12 H 7452 Prohibits Sharing Explicit Images without Consent Bill Passed - House (66 - 0)
4/12 SB 741 Prohibits Breed-Specific Ordinances Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/12 A 764 Requires Panic Alarms in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (66 - 6)
4/11 SB 231 Establishes Database of Violent Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2)
4/11 HB 1419 Authorizes Limited Access to Certain Criminal Records Bill Passed - House (188 - 2)
4/09 SJR 141 Authorizes Relocation of President James K. Polk's Body Bill Passed - House (51 - 37)
4/06 HB 3375 Authorizes Sports Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 16)
4/05 HB 819 Amends Handgun Permit Rules and Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (98 - 31)
4/04 SF 481 Requires Law Enforcement for Comply with ICE Detainer Requests Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 18)
4/04 S 2371 Amends Criminal Justice Law Conference Report Adopted - House (148 - 5)
4/04 SB 1631 Prohibits Renting Hotel Rooms for Less than 7 Hours Bill Failed - House (38 - 45)
4/04 S 2372 Establishes the Garden of Peace Trust Fund Conference Report Adopted - House (152 - 0)
4/04 S 2371 Amends Criminal Justice Law Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 0)
4/03 SB 101 Amends Certain Definitions and Regulations for Crimes of Violence Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
4/03 HB 1302 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protective Order Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 46)
4/03 SB 101 Amends Certain Definitions and Regulations for Crimes of Violence Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
4/03 SF 481 Requires Law Enforcement for Comply with ICE Detainer Requests Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)
4/03 HB 447 Establishes Pretrial Services Program Grant Fund Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 11)
4/02 SB 1796 Establishes Process to Remove Domestic Abusers from Cell Phone Plans Bill Passed - House (94 - 0)
4/02 SB 1796 Establishes Process to Remove Domestic Abusers from Cell Phone Plans Bill Passed - House (94 - 0)
3/30 HB 908 Requires Insurance Companies to Cover Fertility Treatments for Cancer Patients Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0)
3/30 S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - House (94 - 34)
3/30 S 55 Amends Various State Gun Laws Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
3/30 S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - House (94 - 34)
3/30 S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
3/30 S 8121 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
3/29 HB 399 Amends State Constitution to Provide Equal Rights Bill Passed - House (34 - 5)
3/28 SB 1393 Authorizes Parents to Use Frozen Embryos after Divorce Bill Passed - House (33 - 25)
3/28 SB 1393 Authorizes Parents to Use Frozen Embryos after Divorce Bill Passed - House (33 - 25)
3/28 SB 900 Amends Rules and Regulations to the Gaming Industry Bill Passed - House (87 - 45)
3/27 S 55 Amends Various State Gun Laws Bill Passed - House (89 - 54)
3/26 S 1036 Requires Attorney General to Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
3/26 A 2758 Requires Justifiable Need to Carry a Handgun Bill Passed - House (48 - 26)
3/26 A 1217 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protective Orders Bill Passed - House (59 - 12)
3/26 A 1181 Amends Various Firearm Confiscation Measures Bill Passed - House (62 - 7)

arrow_upward