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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 2018 | OK | SB 1098 | Establishes the Criminal Justice Reclassification Coordination Council | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 31) |
| May 3, 2018 | KS | SB 284 | Authorizes Child Placement Agencies to Deny Service Based on Religion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 15) |
| May 3, 2018 | KS | SB 284 | Authorizes Child Placement Agencies to Deny Service Based on Religion | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 58) |
| May 3, 2018 | VT | H 25 | Amends State Domestic Terrorism Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0) |
| May 3, 2018 | OK | SB 1140 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - House (57 - 24) |
| May 3, 2018 | OK | SB 1140 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - House (57 - 24) |
| May 2, 2018 | OK | SB 1212 | Establishes a State Firearm Constitutional Carry Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 9) |
| May 2, 2018 | NH | SB 569 | Amends Pet Vendor Regulations | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (222 - 111) |
| May 2, 2018 | NH | HB 1319 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10) |
| May 2, 2018 | IL | SB 3249 | Requires LGBT History in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| May 2, 2018 | IL | SB 3249 | Requires LGBT History in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| May 1, 2018 | HI | SB 270 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy for Minors | Conference Report Adopted - House (45 - 5) |
| May 1, 2018 | HI | HB 1489 | Prohibits LGBTQ Discrimination | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 0) |
| May 1, 2018 | MI | HB 5010 | Extends Statute of Limitations for Armed Robbery | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| May 1, 2018 | HI | HB 2131 | Establishes A Sexual Assault Training Program | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 0) |
| May 1, 2018 | MN | HF 2856 | Amends Public Safety Laws | Bill Passed - House (92 - 35) |
| May 1, 2018 | LA | SB 534 | Amends "Crime of Violence" to Include Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| May 1, 2018 | CT | HB 5542 | Prohibits Bump Stocks | Bill Passed - House (114 - 35) |
| April 30, 2018 | MO | HB 2499 | Amends Parole Hearing Procedures | Bill Passed - House (114 - 30) |
| April 27, 2018 | National | H Res 856 | Raising a Question of the Privileges of the House | Bill Tabled - House (215 - 171) |
| April 26, 2018 | NH | SB 593 | Repeals Death Penalty | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (223 - 116) |
| April 26, 2018 | CO | SB 18-166 | Amends Sentencing Requirements for Certain Crimes | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| April 26, 2018 | IL | HB 5599 | Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code | Bill Passed - House (75 - 31) |
| April 25, 2018 | CT | SB 4 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Bill Passed - House (91 - 59) |
| April 25, 2018 | TN | HB 2315 | Prohibits Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - House (64 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/03 | SB 1098 | Establishes the Criminal Justice Reclassification Coordination Council | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 31) |
| 5/03 | SB 284 | Authorizes Child Placement Agencies to Deny Service Based on Religion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 5/03 | SB 284 | Authorizes Child Placement Agencies to Deny Service Based on Religion | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 58) |
| 5/03 | H 25 | Amends State Domestic Terrorism Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0) |
| 5/03 | SB 1140 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - House (57 - 24) |
| 5/03 | SB 1140 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - House (57 - 24) |
| 5/02 | SB 1212 | Establishes a State Firearm Constitutional Carry Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 9) |
| 5/02 | SB 569 | Amends Pet Vendor Regulations | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (222 - 111) |
| 5/02 | HB 1319 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 5/02 | SB 3249 | Requires LGBT History in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| 5/02 | SB 3249 | Requires LGBT History in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| 5/01 | SB 270 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy for Minors | Conference Report Adopted - House (45 - 5) |
| 5/01 | HB 1489 | Prohibits LGBTQ Discrimination | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 0) |
| 5/01 | HB 5010 | Extends Statute of Limitations for Armed Robbery | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| 5/01 | HB 2131 | Establishes A Sexual Assault Training Program | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 0) |
| 5/01 | HF 2856 | Amends Public Safety Laws | Bill Passed - House (92 - 35) |
| 5/01 | SB 534 | Amends "Crime of Violence" to Include Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| 5/01 | HB 5542 | Prohibits Bump Stocks | Bill Passed - House (114 - 35) |
| 4/30 | HB 2499 | Amends Parole Hearing Procedures | Bill Passed - House (114 - 30) |
| 4/27 | H Res 856 | Raising a Question of the Privileges of the House | Bill Tabled - House (215 - 171) |
| 4/26 | SB 593 | Repeals Death Penalty | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (223 - 116) |
| 4/26 | SB 18-166 | Amends Sentencing Requirements for Certain Crimes | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| 4/26 | HB 5599 | Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code | Bill Passed - House (75 - 31) |
| 4/25 | SB 4 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Bill Passed - House (91 - 59) |
| 4/25 | HB 2315 | Prohibits Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - House (64 - 23) |