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
Feb. 26, 2019 National H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - House (245 - 182)
Feb. 26, 2019 CO HB 19-1119 Requires Law Enforcement Internal Investigations to Become Public Bill Passed - House (33 - 29)
Feb. 24, 2019 NM HB 564 Amends Probation and Parole Procedures Bill Passed - House (51 - 16)
Feb. 22, 2019 UT HB 40 Repeals the Misdemeanor Crime of Sodomy and Adultery Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2)
Feb. 21, 2019 IN SB 12 Authorizes Consideration of Bias in Sentencing Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
Feb. 21, 2019 NJ S 758 Requires Incarcerated Individuals Count in Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
Feb. 21, 2019 NJ S 758 Requires Incarcerated Individuals Count in Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
Feb. 20, 2019 WA HB 1074 Increases the Smoking and Vaping Age to 21 Bill Passed - House (66 - 30)
Feb. 20, 2019 SD SB 115 Authorizes Constitutional Carry Within the Capital Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
Feb. 20, 2019 IA HF 262 Prohibits Pyramid Promotional Schemes Bill Passed - House (88 - 10)
Feb. 19, 2019 ND HB 1381 Prohibits Government Funded Gun Buyback Programs Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
Feb. 19, 2019 CO HB 19-1148 Reduces Maximum Criminal Penalty for Certain Crimes to 364 Days Bill Passed - House (41 - 21)
Feb. 18, 2019 IN HB 1253 Authorizes Firearm Training for Teachers and School Staff Bill Passed - House (72 - 25)
Feb. 15, 2019 NV SB 143 Expands Background Checks for Private Gun Sales Bill Passed - House (28 - 13)
Feb. 14, 2019 NH HB 253 Prohibits Employers from Asking Job Applicants About Criminal History "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (213 - 142)
Feb. 14, 2019 NM SB 8 Requires Background Checks for Gun Sales Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 20)
Feb. 14, 2019 IN HB 1615 Increases Penalties for Animal Abuse Bill Passed - House (81 - 13)
Feb. 13, 2019 MI SB 2 Prohibits Property Seizures by Law Enforcement Until After Criminal Conviction Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
Feb. 13, 2019 OK HB 2597 Authorizes State Constitutional Carry Bill Passed - House (70 - 30)
Feb. 13, 2019 NV SB 143 Expands Background Checks for Private Gun Sales Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
Feb. 11, 2019 OK HB 2591 Requires Healthcare Providers Report Statutory Rape Bill Passed - House (79 - 20)
Feb. 8, 2019 NM HB 8 Requires Background Checks for Gun Sales Bill Passed - House (41 - 25)
Feb. 7, 2019 MS SB 2901 Amends Landowner Liability Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
Jan. 31, 2019 NJ A 4135 Establishes Procedures for Digital Parking Meters and a Fund for Encouraging Designated Drivers Bill Passed - House (55 - 20)
Jan. 29, 2019 NY S 2449 Establishes a Firearm Buyback Program Bill Passed - House (108 - 36)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/26 H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - House (245 - 182)
2/26 HB 19-1119 Requires Law Enforcement Internal Investigations to Become Public Bill Passed - House (33 - 29)
2/24 HB 564 Amends Probation and Parole Procedures Bill Passed - House (51 - 16)
2/22 HB 40 Repeals the Misdemeanor Crime of Sodomy and Adultery Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2)
2/21 SB 12 Authorizes Consideration of Bias in Sentencing Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
2/21 S 758 Requires Incarcerated Individuals Count in Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
2/21 S 758 Requires Incarcerated Individuals Count in Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
2/20 HB 1074 Increases the Smoking and Vaping Age to 21 Bill Passed - House (66 - 30)
2/20 SB 115 Authorizes Constitutional Carry Within the Capital Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
2/20 HF 262 Prohibits Pyramid Promotional Schemes Bill Passed - House (88 - 10)
2/19 HB 1381 Prohibits Government Funded Gun Buyback Programs Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
2/19 HB 19-1148 Reduces Maximum Criminal Penalty for Certain Crimes to 364 Days Bill Passed - House (41 - 21)
2/18 HB 1253 Authorizes Firearm Training for Teachers and School Staff Bill Passed - House (72 - 25)
2/15 SB 143 Expands Background Checks for Private Gun Sales Bill Passed - House (28 - 13)
2/14 HB 253 Prohibits Employers from Asking Job Applicants About Criminal History "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (213 - 142)
2/14 SB 8 Requires Background Checks for Gun Sales Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 20)
2/14 HB 1615 Increases Penalties for Animal Abuse Bill Passed - House (81 - 13)
2/13 SB 2 Prohibits Property Seizures by Law Enforcement Until After Criminal Conviction Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
2/13 HB 2597 Authorizes State Constitutional Carry Bill Passed - House (70 - 30)
2/13 SB 143 Expands Background Checks for Private Gun Sales Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
2/11 HB 2591 Requires Healthcare Providers Report Statutory Rape Bill Passed - House (79 - 20)
2/08 HB 8 Requires Background Checks for Gun Sales Bill Passed - House (41 - 25)
2/07 SB 2901 Amends Landowner Liability Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
1/31 A 4135 Establishes Procedures for Digital Parking Meters and a Fund for Encouraging Designated Drivers Bill Passed - House (55 - 20)
1/29 S 2449 Establishes a Firearm Buyback Program Bill Passed - House (108 - 36)

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