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
April 17, 2019 IA SF 617 Authorizes Sports Betting Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
April 17, 2019 CO SB 19-030 Authorizes a Remedy for Improperly Entered Guilty Pleas Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
April 17, 2019 CO SB 19-030 Authorizes a Remedy for Improperly Entered Guilty Pleas Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
April 16, 2019 MT HB 21 Establishes a Missing Persons Specialist in the Department of Justice Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
April 16, 2019 WA HB 1739 Prohibits All Untraceable 3D Printed "Ghost Guns" Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
April 16, 2019 IN HB 1253 Authorizes Firearm Training for Teachers and School Staff Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
April 16, 2019 OR SB 1008 Amends Juvenile Offender Sentencing Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
April 12, 2019 CO SB 19-1025 Prohibits Employers from Asking About Employee Criminal History Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
April 11, 2019 AZ HB 2693 Repeals Requirement that Firearms be Unloaded on School Grounds Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 14)
April 11, 2019 CA SB 92 Amends Tax Policies Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
April 10, 2019 OH SB 23 Prohibits Abortion After a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
April 10, 2019 WA HB 1579 Increases Catch Limits for Bass, Walleye, and Catfish Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
April 10, 2019 NY A 6188 Prohibits Harassment of Rent Regulated Tenants Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 17)
April 10, 2019 MT HB 146 Prohibits Cities from Passing Sanctuary Laws Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
April 10, 2019 MT HB 291 Establishes a Voluntary Wolf Mitigation Account Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
April 10, 2019 NC SB 250 Amends Voting Rolls to Correlate with Jury Selection Excusals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
April 10, 2019 IL SB 2090 Expands Access to Voting in Jails Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
April 10, 2019 IL SB 2090 Expands Access to Voting in Jails Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
April 9, 2019 DE SB 34 Establishes a Per-Pill Tax on Prescription Opioid Painkillers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
April 9, 2019 NC SB 154 Authorizes Sports Gambling on Tribal Lands Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
April 8, 2019 AR HJR 1008 Establishes Stricter Requirements for Ballot Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
April 8, 2019 MD SB 737 Amends Long Gun License Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
April 5, 2019 AR SB 411 Prohibits Local Government from Adopting "Sanctuary Policies" Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
April 3, 2019 AR HB 1684 Authorizes In-State Tuition for DACA Students Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
April 3, 2019 TX SB 17 Authorizes Protections for Lawyers that Deny Clients Based on Religious Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
April 3, 2019 TX SB 17 Authorizes Protections for Lawyers that Deny Clients Based on Religious Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
April 3, 2019 TX SB 406 Amends Conceal Carry Regulations for Local School Marshals Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
April 3, 2019 TX SB 17 Authorizes Protections for Lawyers that Deny Clients Based on Religious Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
April 2, 2019 IN SB 198 Amends Criminal Sentencing Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
April 2, 2019 IN HB 1211 Prohibits Dilation and Evacuation Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
April 2, 2019 IA SF 516 Requires Employers to Verify Employee Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
April 1, 2019 IN SB 201 Authorizes Health Providers to Abstain from Participating in Abortion Procedures Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
March 31, 2019 MD HB 994 Prohibits Employment Discrimination Based On an Applicants Criminal History Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 14)
March 31, 2019 NY A 2006 Establishes an Education, Labor, Housing and Family Assistance Budget for FY 2019-2020 Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
March 31, 2019 NY S 1505 Amends Criminal Justice Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
March 29, 2019 GA HB 345 Establishes Rights for Pregnant Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 1)
March 29, 2019 GA HB 345 Establishes Rights for Pregnant Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 1)
March 29, 2019 ND HB 1381 Prohibits Government Funded Gun Buyback Programs Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
March 29, 2019 ND HB 1332 Authorizes Schools to Develop a Plan for an Armed First Responder Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
March 28, 2019 CO HB 19-1177 Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
March 28, 2019 MA H 3638 Appropriates Funding to Family Planning and Women Reproductive Health Clinics Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
March 28, 2019 IL SB 1786 Prohibits License Suspension for Unpaid Parking Tickets Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
March 28, 2019 MT SB 65 Amends DUI Laws Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
March 27, 2019 CO HB 19-1119 Requires Law Enforcement Internal Investigations to Become Public Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
March 27, 2019 IA SF 513 Authorizes Women to Buy Birth Control Without Prescriptions Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6)
March 26, 2019 MD HB 298 Establishes Oyster Sanctuaries Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
March 26, 2019 IA SF 523 Expands Penalties for Fetal Homicide Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
March 25, 2019 CO HB 19-1129 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
March 25, 2019 NJ S 1080 Establishes Conditions for Restricted Usage of Suspended or Revoked Driver's Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
March 22, 2019 GA HB 481 Prohibits Abortion After a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/17 SF 617 Authorizes Sports Betting Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
4/17 SB 19-030 Authorizes a Remedy for Improperly Entered Guilty Pleas Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
4/17 SB 19-030 Authorizes a Remedy for Improperly Entered Guilty Pleas Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
4/16 HB 21 Establishes a Missing Persons Specialist in the Department of Justice Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
4/16 HB 1739 Prohibits All Untraceable 3D Printed "Ghost Guns" Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
4/16 HB 1253 Authorizes Firearm Training for Teachers and School Staff Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
4/16 SB 1008 Amends Juvenile Offender Sentencing Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
4/12 SB 19-1025 Prohibits Employers from Asking About Employee Criminal History Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
4/11 HB 2693 Repeals Requirement that Firearms be Unloaded on School Grounds Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 14)
4/11 SB 92 Amends Tax Policies Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
4/10 SB 23 Prohibits Abortion After a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
4/10 HB 1579 Increases Catch Limits for Bass, Walleye, and Catfish Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
4/10 A 6188 Prohibits Harassment of Rent Regulated Tenants Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 17)
4/10 HB 146 Prohibits Cities from Passing Sanctuary Laws Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
4/10 HB 291 Establishes a Voluntary Wolf Mitigation Account Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
4/10 SB 250 Amends Voting Rolls to Correlate with Jury Selection Excusals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
4/10 SB 2090 Expands Access to Voting in Jails Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
4/10 SB 2090 Expands Access to Voting in Jails Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
4/09 SB 34 Establishes a Per-Pill Tax on Prescription Opioid Painkillers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
4/09 SB 154 Authorizes Sports Gambling on Tribal Lands Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
4/08 HJR 1008 Establishes Stricter Requirements for Ballot Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
4/08 SB 737 Amends Long Gun License Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
4/05 SB 411 Prohibits Local Government from Adopting "Sanctuary Policies" Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
4/03 HB 1684 Authorizes In-State Tuition for DACA Students Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
4/03 SB 17 Authorizes Protections for Lawyers that Deny Clients Based on Religious Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
4/03 SB 17 Authorizes Protections for Lawyers that Deny Clients Based on Religious Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
4/03 SB 406 Amends Conceal Carry Regulations for Local School Marshals Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
4/03 SB 17 Authorizes Protections for Lawyers that Deny Clients Based on Religious Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
4/02 SB 198 Amends Criminal Sentencing Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
4/02 HB 1211 Prohibits Dilation and Evacuation Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
4/02 SF 516 Requires Employers to Verify Employee Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
4/01 SB 201 Authorizes Health Providers to Abstain from Participating in Abortion Procedures Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
3/31 HB 994 Prohibits Employment Discrimination Based On an Applicants Criminal History Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 14)
3/31 A 2006 Establishes an Education, Labor, Housing and Family Assistance Budget for FY 2019-2020 Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
3/31 S 1505 Amends Criminal Justice Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
3/29 HB 345 Establishes Rights for Pregnant Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 1)
3/29 HB 345 Establishes Rights for Pregnant Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 1)
3/29 HB 1381 Prohibits Government Funded Gun Buyback Programs Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
3/29 HB 1332 Authorizes Schools to Develop a Plan for an Armed First Responder Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
3/28 HB 19-1177 Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
3/28 H 3638 Appropriates Funding to Family Planning and Women Reproductive Health Clinics Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
3/28 SB 1786 Prohibits License Suspension for Unpaid Parking Tickets Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
3/28 SB 65 Amends DUI Laws Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
3/27 HB 19-1119 Requires Law Enforcement Internal Investigations to Become Public Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
3/27 SF 513 Authorizes Women to Buy Birth Control Without Prescriptions Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6)
3/26 HB 298 Establishes Oyster Sanctuaries Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
3/26 SF 523 Expands Penalties for Fetal Homicide Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
3/25 HB 19-1129 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
3/25 S 1080 Establishes Conditions for Restricted Usage of Suspended or Revoked Driver's Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
3/22 HB 481 Prohibits Abortion After a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)

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