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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 6, 2019 | OR | HB 2016 | Establishes a Worker's Right to Participate in Labor Unions | (17 - 11) |
| June 5, 2019 | WI | AB 179 | Establishes Requirements for Abortions Resulting in Premature Birth | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| June 5, 2019 | ME | LD 1524 | Prohibits Wage Theft and Establishes Employer Accountability Standards | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| June 5, 2019 | ME | LD 1620 | Exempts Certain Salary or Wage Increases From a Cap on Earnings when Calculating Retirement Benefits for Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 30, 2019 | AL | HB 225 | Prohibits Pay Discrimination Based on Sex and Race | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 0) |
| May 30, 2019 | NH | HB 608 | Expands Definition of Gender Discrimination | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
| May 30, 2019 | NH | HB 651 | Authorizes the Use of Campaign Funds for Child Care Expenses | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 9) |
| May 30, 2019 | IL | HB 1637 | Establishes the Keep Illinois Families Together Act | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19) |
| May 29, 2019 | IL | HB 3534 | Establishes a Non-Binary Gender Option on IDs | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| May 29, 2019 | ME | LD 1324 | Establishes Committee for Universal Basic Income System | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 29 | Expands Medi-Cal Program Eligibility to Undocumented Immigrants Ages 19-25 or 65 and Older | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| May 27, 2019 | AZ | SB 1558 | Increases Stipends for State Legislators | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| May 24, 2019 | NV | AB 132 | Prohibits Employment Discrimination for Positive Marijuana Drug Tests | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 8) |
| May 23, 2019 | NH | HB 696 | Establishes a Protective Order for Vulnerable Adults | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (13 - 10) |
| May 23, 2019 | IL | HB 3606 | Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17) |
| May 23, 2019 | IL | HB 2625 | Requires Subcircuit Judicial Boundary Lines be Redrawn | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19) |
| May 23, 2019 | OR | HB 2023 | Requires Inclusive Education on Certain Classifications of Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 5) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | SB 329 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Section 8 Housing Renters | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | SB 132 | Authorizes Inmate Housing According to Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| May 22, 2019 | CT | SB 1 | Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| May 21, 2019 | IL | HB 253 | Classifies University Graduate and Research Assistants as "Employees" | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19) |
| May 21, 2019 | ME | LD 1025 | Prohibits the Practice of Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| May 21, 2019 | CA | SB 142 | Requires Additional Lactation Accommodations for Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| May 20, 2019 | SC | H 4243 | Authorizes Tax Incentives for Carolina Panthers Training Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 17) |
| May 20, 2019 | TX | HB 2911 | Amends Election Law to Determine Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 20, 2019 | LA | SB 172 | Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| May 16, 2019 | National | PN 526 | Nomination of Jeffrey Rosen to be Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice | (52 - 45) |
| May 16, 2019 | IL | HB 2040 | Prohibits Private Prisons and Civil Detention Centers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| May 15, 2019 | VT | H 107 | Establishes a Paid Statewide Family and Medical Leave Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| May 15, 2019 | NV | SB 312 | Requires Employers Provide Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 0) |
| May 14, 2019 | CT | SB 992 | Limits Cooperation Between Local Law Enforcement and Federal Immigration Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 8, 2019 | IL | HB 2691 | Authorizes Tuition Assistance to Transgender and Undocumented Immigrant Students | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| May 8, 2019 | IL | HB 2691 | Authorizes Tuition Assistance to Transgender and Undocumented Immigrant Students | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| May 8, 2019 | NY | S 4572 | Establishes Parameters for Exemptions to Presidential Pardons | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 23) |
| May 3, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1124 | Prohibits Local Law Enforcement from Helping to Enforce Federal Civil Immigration Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| May 2, 2019 | FL | SB 168 | Prohibits State Sanctuary City Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| May 2, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1289 | Increases State Consumer Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 1, 2019 | CO | SB 19-188 | Establishes A Task Force Related To Paid-Family-Leave | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| April 30, 2019 | CO | SB 19-085 | Establishes the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 30, 2019 | ME | LD 944 | Prohibits Native American Mascots | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| April 30, 2019 | TN | HB 1151 | Prohibits Indecent Exposure to Include Restrooms, Locker Rooms, Dressing Rooms, and Showers | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 5) |
| April 29, 2019 | CO | SB 19-007 | Establishes Standards for Sexual Misconduct Policies at Higher Education Institutions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| April 27, 2019 | IA | SF 638 | Amends Judicial Commission Selection | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| April 27, 2019 | IA | SF 638 | Amends Judicial Commission Selection | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| April 26, 2019 | IA | HF 766 | Establishes a Health and Human Services Budget for FY 2019-2020 | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| April 24, 2019 | WA | SB 5497 | Establishes Washington as a Sanctuary State | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| April 22, 2019 | NV | SB 224 | Authorizes Confidentiality Requirements for Public Employee Retirement Records | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| April 18, 2019 | MT | HB 54 | Amends Requirements for Missing Persons Reports | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 4) |
| April 18, 2019 | ME | LD 179 | Amends Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| April 17, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1039 | Amends Birth Certificate Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |