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)
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)

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