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
Sept. 2, 2021 CA SB 556 Limits the Ability of Local Governments to Regulate the Placement of Cell Wireless Facilities Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
Sept. 2, 2021 CA AB 48 Prohibits Police from Using Tear Gas on Protestors Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Sept. 1, 2021 CA AB 1356 Prohibits Patients and Providers at Reproductive Healthcare Facilities from Being Recorded Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
Sept. 1, 2021 NY S 50001 Authorizes New Yorkers to Participate in State and Local Government Meetings Virtually Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19)
Sept. 1, 2021 NY S 50001 Authorizes New Yorkers to Participate in State and Local Government Meetings Virtually Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19)
Aug. 31, 2021 TX SB 6 Amends Cash Bail Laws For Individuals Accused of Violent Crimes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
Aug. 30, 2021 CA AB 816 Requires State and Local Governments to Develop Plans to Reduce Homelessness Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
Aug. 26, 2021 NC HB 324 Prohibits the Teaching of Certain Topics Related to Racism, Civics, and American History Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17)
Aug. 25, 2021 NC HB 805 Increases Penalties for People Engaged in "Riots" Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 19)
Aug. 10, 2021 National HR 3684 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30)
July 20, 2021 LA SB 203 Exempts Groundwater District Commissioners from Provisions of the Code of Governmental Ethics Veto Override Failed - Senate (25 - 12)
July 16, 2021 TX SB 3 Prohibits Teaching "Critical Race Theory" in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 4)
July 15, 2021 CA AB 133 Expands Medi-Cal Eligibility to Low-Income Adults Regardless of Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
July 15, 2021 CA AB 133 Expands Medi-Cal Eligibility to Low-Income Adults Regardless of Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
July 15, 2021 MI SB 529 Appropriates $1.6 Billion for Local Infrastructure Projects Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
June 30, 2021 AZ SB 1572 Establishes a Literacy Instruction Exam for Teacher Certification Applicants Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
June 30, 2021 WI SB 120 Establishes Use of Force Policies for Law Enforcement Officers Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (12 - 20)
June 30, 2021 NJ A 4463 Requires Confidentiality of Court Records for Certain Evictions Initiated During the COVID-19 Pandemic Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
June 30, 2021 AZ HB 2550 Prohibits False Complaints Against a Peace Officer Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
June 30, 2021 AZ HB 2906 Prohibits the Teaching of Critical Race Theory Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
June 30, 2021 NJ S 3319 Repeals Certain Juvenile Justice Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
June 29, 2021 RI H 5028 Requires Civics Education for Students in Grades 8-12 Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
June 28, 2021 OH HB 244 Prohibits COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements in State Public Schools and Universities Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
June 28, 2021 OH HB 244 Prohibits COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements in State Public Schools and Universities Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
June 26, 2021 OR HB 3352 Expands Insurance Eligibility to Undocumented Immigrants Not Covered by Medicaid Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/02 SB 556 Limits the Ability of Local Governments to Regulate the Placement of Cell Wireless Facilities Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
9/02 AB 48 Prohibits Police from Using Tear Gas on Protestors Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
9/01 AB 1356 Prohibits Patients and Providers at Reproductive Healthcare Facilities from Being Recorded Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
9/01 S 50001 Authorizes New Yorkers to Participate in State and Local Government Meetings Virtually Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19)
9/01 S 50001 Authorizes New Yorkers to Participate in State and Local Government Meetings Virtually Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19)
8/31 SB 6 Amends Cash Bail Laws For Individuals Accused of Violent Crimes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
8/30 AB 816 Requires State and Local Governments to Develop Plans to Reduce Homelessness Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
8/26 HB 324 Prohibits the Teaching of Certain Topics Related to Racism, Civics, and American History Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17)
8/25 HB 805 Increases Penalties for People Engaged in "Riots" Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 19)
8/10 HR 3684 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30)
7/20 SB 203 Exempts Groundwater District Commissioners from Provisions of the Code of Governmental Ethics Veto Override Failed - Senate (25 - 12)
7/16 SB 3 Prohibits Teaching "Critical Race Theory" in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 4)
7/15 AB 133 Expands Medi-Cal Eligibility to Low-Income Adults Regardless of Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
7/15 AB 133 Expands Medi-Cal Eligibility to Low-Income Adults Regardless of Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
7/15 SB 529 Appropriates $1.6 Billion for Local Infrastructure Projects Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
6/30 SB 1572 Establishes a Literacy Instruction Exam for Teacher Certification Applicants Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
6/30 SB 120 Establishes Use of Force Policies for Law Enforcement Officers Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (12 - 20)
6/30 A 4463 Requires Confidentiality of Court Records for Certain Evictions Initiated During the COVID-19 Pandemic Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
6/30 HB 2550 Prohibits False Complaints Against a Peace Officer Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
6/30 HB 2906 Prohibits the Teaching of Critical Race Theory Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
6/30 S 3319 Repeals Certain Juvenile Justice Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
6/29 H 5028 Requires Civics Education for Students in Grades 8-12 Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
6/28 HB 244 Prohibits COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements in State Public Schools and Universities Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
6/28 HB 244 Prohibits COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements in State Public Schools and Universities Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
6/26 HB 3352 Expands Insurance Eligibility to Undocumented Immigrants Not Covered by Medicaid Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)

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