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
May 2, 2019 CA SB 27 Requires Presidential Candidates to Release Tax Returns Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
April 30, 2019 MN HF 2414 Appropriates Funds to Various State Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28)
April 30, 2019 FL HB 771 Prohibits Municipal Governments from Prohibiting Plastic Straws Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
April 29, 2019 FL HB 19 Authorizes the Importation of Prescription Drugs from Canada Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
April 29, 2019 CO HB 19-1278 Authorizes Primary Voting for 17 Year Olds and Increases Rural Voter Services Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
April 29, 2019 FL HB 741 Prohibits "Anti-Semitic Speech" at Public Schools, Colleges, and Universities Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
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 27, 2019 CO HB 19-1239 Appropriates $12 Million for Census Outreach Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
April 26, 2019 ND SB 2148 Establishes the Creation of an Ethics Commission Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 5)
April 26, 2019 CO HB 19-1266 Authorizes Voting Rights to Paroled Felons Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
April 26, 2019 FL HB 1159 Prohibits Municipal Governments from Requiring Approval for Tree Removal Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
April 25, 2019 TN HB 1079 Increases Penalties for Voter Registration Errors Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
April 25, 2019 AL SB 220 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Create a State Lottery Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
April 24, 2019 CO SB 19-235 Expands Automatic Voter Registration System Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
April 24, 2019 IA SF 634 Amends Process for Approving Local Government Budgets and Property Taxation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
April 23, 2019 NV SB 450 Amends Provisions Relating to Recall Elections Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
April 23, 2019 NV SB 450 Amends Provisions Relating to Recall Elections Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
April 18, 2019 TN HB 658 Repeals City Police Oversight Boards Subpoena Power Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 6)
April 17, 2019 IA HF 692 Requires Bar Codes on Absentee Ballots to Determine Time of Mailing Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
April 17, 2019 ND HB 1521 Amends State Ethic Laws for Campaign Lobbying Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 8)
April 16, 2019 MT HB 21 Establishes a Missing Persons Specialist in the Department of Justice Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
April 15, 2019 ND SCR 4001 Requires Legislative Approval for Constitutional Amendments Approved by Voters Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
April 15, 2019 IA SF 615 Prohibits the Attorney General From Joining Out-Of-State Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
April 15, 2019 IA SF 615 Prohibits the Attorney General From Joining Out-Of-State Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/02 SB 27 Requires Presidential Candidates to Release Tax Returns Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
4/30 HF 2414 Appropriates Funds to Various State Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28)
4/30 HB 771 Prohibits Municipal Governments from Prohibiting Plastic Straws Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
4/29 HB 19 Authorizes the Importation of Prescription Drugs from Canada Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
4/29 HB 19-1278 Authorizes Primary Voting for 17 Year Olds and Increases Rural Voter Services Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
4/29 HB 741 Prohibits "Anti-Semitic Speech" at Public Schools, Colleges, and Universities Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
4/27 SF 638 Amends Judicial Commission Selection Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 16)
4/27 SF 638 Amends Judicial Commission Selection Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 16)
4/27 HB 19-1239 Appropriates $12 Million for Census Outreach Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
4/26 SB 2148 Establishes the Creation of an Ethics Commission Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 5)
4/26 HB 19-1266 Authorizes Voting Rights to Paroled Felons Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
4/26 HB 1159 Prohibits Municipal Governments from Requiring Approval for Tree Removal Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
4/25 HB 1079 Increases Penalties for Voter Registration Errors Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
4/25 SB 220 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Create a State Lottery Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
4/24 SB 19-235 Expands Automatic Voter Registration System Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
4/24 SF 634 Amends Process for Approving Local Government Budgets and Property Taxation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
4/23 SB 450 Amends Provisions Relating to Recall Elections Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
4/23 SB 450 Amends Provisions Relating to Recall Elections Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
4/18 HB 658 Repeals City Police Oversight Boards Subpoena Power Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 6)
4/17 HF 692 Requires Bar Codes on Absentee Ballots to Determine Time of Mailing Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
4/17 HB 1521 Amends State Ethic Laws for Campaign Lobbying Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 8)
4/16 HB 21 Establishes a Missing Persons Specialist in the Department of Justice Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
4/15 SCR 4001 Requires Legislative Approval for Constitutional Amendments Approved by Voters Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
4/15 SF 615 Prohibits the Attorney General From Joining Out-Of-State Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
4/15 SF 615 Prohibits the Attorney General From Joining Out-Of-State Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)

arrow_upward