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. 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. 14, 2019 IN HB 1615 Increases Penalties for Animal Abuse Bill Passed - House (81 - 13)
Feb. 14, 2019 NH SB 1 Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 10)
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. 12, 2019 MT HB 146 Prohibits Cities from Passing Sanctuary Laws Bill Passed - House (58 - 41)
Feb. 12, 2019 SD HB 1108 Prohibits Gender Dysphoria Sex Education from Kindergarten through Grade 7 Bill Passed - House (39 - 30)
Feb. 12, 2019 MT SB 100 Requires Abortion Providers Offer Patients an Ultrasound Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
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 AR SB 149 Establishes The Arkansas Human Life Protection Act Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
Feb. 6, 2019 NM HB 51 Amends State Law to Decriminalize Abortion Bill Passed - House (40 - 29)
Feb. 4, 2019 VA SB 1502 Requires School Boards to Offer Classes on the Bible Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 1, 2019 WY HB 0140 Establishes a 48-Hour Abortion Waiting Period Bill Passed - House (36 - 22)
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. 31, 2019 NJ S 1784 Expands State Medicaid Program to Include Doula Maternity Care Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
Jan. 29, 2019 NY S 2374 Amends Background Check Regulations Bill Passed - House (85 - 52)
Jan. 29, 2019 SD SB 47 Authorizes Concealed Carry to Individuals Without a Permit Bill Passed - House (47 - 23)
Jan. 29, 2019 NY S 2451 Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (100 - 37)
Jan. 29, 2019 NY S 2451 Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (100 - 37)
Jan. 29, 2019 NY S 2449 Establishes a Firearm Buyback Program Bill Passed - House (108 - 36)
Jan. 29, 2019 NY S 101 Prohibits Firearms on School Campuses Bill Passed - House (104 - 40)
Jan. 29, 2019 NY S 2374 Amends Background Check Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 23)
Date No. Title Outcome
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)
2/14 HB 1615 Increases Penalties for Animal Abuse Bill Passed - House (81 - 13)
2/14 SB 1 Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 10)
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)
2/12 HB 146 Prohibits Cities from Passing Sanctuary Laws Bill Passed - House (58 - 41)
2/12 HB 1108 Prohibits Gender Dysphoria Sex Education from Kindergarten through Grade 7 Bill Passed - House (39 - 30)
2/12 SB 100 Requires Abortion Providers Offer Patients an Ultrasound Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
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 149 Establishes The Arkansas Human Life Protection Act Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
2/06 HB 51 Amends State Law to Decriminalize Abortion Bill Passed - House (40 - 29)
2/04 SB 1502 Requires School Boards to Offer Classes on the Bible Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/01 HB 0140 Establishes a 48-Hour Abortion Waiting Period Bill Passed - House (36 - 22)
1/31 A 4135 Establishes Procedures for Digital Parking Meters and a Fund for Encouraging Designated Drivers Bill Passed - House (55 - 20)
1/31 S 1784 Expands State Medicaid Program to Include Doula Maternity Care Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
1/29 S 2374 Amends Background Check Regulations Bill Passed - House (85 - 52)
1/29 SB 47 Authorizes Concealed Carry to Individuals Without a Permit Bill Passed - House (47 - 23)
1/29 S 2451 Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (100 - 37)
1/29 S 2451 Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (100 - 37)
1/29 S 2449 Establishes a Firearm Buyback Program Bill Passed - House (108 - 36)
1/29 S 101 Prohibits Firearms on School Campuses Bill Passed - House (104 - 40)
1/29 S 2374 Amends Background Check Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 23)

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