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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 3, 2021 | MD | SB 178 | Authorizes Certain Officer Misconduct Records to be Available to the Public | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| March 3, 2021 | MD | SB 626 | Establishes a Statewide Use of Force Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| March 3, 2021 | AZ | SB 1382 | Classifies Gun Stores as Essential Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| March 3, 2021 | AZ | SB 1007 | Repeals Parent-Child Relationships if There is a Legitimate Interest | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 0) |
| March 2, 2021 | MT | SB 283 | Specifies Response to Guns in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| March 2, 2021 | SC | S 200 | Establishes the Electric Chair as the Default Method of Execution | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| March 1, 2021 | NC | SB 37 | Requires in Person Learning for K-12 Schools | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| March 1, 2021 | CT | HB 6516 | Authorizes Tax Fairness for Remote Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| March 1, 2021 | MT | SB 215 | Limits State and Local Governmental Authority Over a Religious Activity | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| March 1, 2021 | WA | SB 5164 | Authorizes Resentencing of Certain Individuals Charged With Robbery | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| March 1, 2021 | NC | SB 43 | Establishes Churches With Schools Have the Right to Bear Arms | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| March 1, 2021 | MT | SB 220 | Increases Penalties for Assaulting a Peace or Judicial Officer | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| Feb. 27, 2021 | VA | SJ 272 | Amends the Qualifications to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Feb. 27, 2021 | VA | HJ 555 | Extends Voting Rights to Citizens on Parole | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Feb. 27, 2021 | VA | HB 2004 | Requires Releasing Records From Closed Criminal Investigations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 27, 2021 | VA | HB 1909 | Establishes Gun-Free Zones on School Board Property | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Feb. 25, 2021 | MI | SB 29 | Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Vaccination, Testing, Rental Assistance, and School Aid | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 25, 2021 | MI | SB 114 | Appropriates $2 Billion in COVID-19 Related Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 25, 2021 | SC | S 147 | Establishes COVID-19 Liability Protections for Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 3) |
| Feb. 25, 2021 | SC | S 147 | Establishes COVID-19 Liability Protections for Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 3) |
| Feb. 25, 2021 | WA | SB 5038 | Prohibits Open Carry Near the State Capitol or Public Demonstrations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| Feb. 25, 2021 | WA | SB 5051 | Expands the Role of the State's Law Enforcement Oversight Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| Feb. 25, 2021 | MN | SF 1 | Requires Businesses Design and Implement a Safety Preparedness Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 29) |
| Feb. 24, 2021 | AK | SB 70 | Extends Access to Naloxone | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 0) |
| Feb. 24, 2021 | NY | S 830 | Extends Voting Rights to Convicted Felons on Parole | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20) |