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 10, 2023 IN HB 1608 Prohibits the Instruction of Human Sexuality in Students From Pre-K Through Grade Three Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
April 10, 2023 WA HB 1394 Establishes a Developmentally Appropriate Response to Youth Who Commit Sexual Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
April 10, 2023 MD HB 1071 Prohibits the Smell of Cannabis as Reasonable Suspicion or Probable Cause for Police Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
April 10, 2023 OR SB 326 Requires Owner of Property Where the Manufacture of Marijuana Takes Place to Clean Up Waste Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
April 7, 2023 MD SB 37 Reduces the Time Period to Apply for Criminal Record Expungement for Certain Offenses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 13)
April 7, 2023 AR SB 495 Requires Convicted Individuals Serve Out the Majority of Their Sentences Instead of Early Release Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
April 7, 2023 MD HB 824 Prohibits Certain Individuals on Probation from Receiving a Concealed Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
April 7, 2023 WA HB 1564 Prohibits the Sale of Over-the-Counter Sexual Assault Kits Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
April 7, 2023 MD HB 185 Prohibits Corporal Punishment in Private Schools Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 7)
April 7, 2023 MD HB 90 Authorizes Counties and Municipalities to Regulate Invasive Bamboo Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 5)
April 7, 2023 MD HB 830 Authorizes Local Governments Require New Housing Units Have Electric Vehicle Parking Spaces Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 4)
April 6, 2023 KS SB 17 Expands Affordable Housing Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 9)
April 6, 2023 KS SB 26 Prohibits Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Minors Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12)
April 6, 2023 KS SB 228 Prohibits Transgender Inmates Access to Overnight Accommodations Consistent with Their Gender Identity Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 3)
April 6, 2023 KS SB 244 Amends and Provides Technical Updates to Various Codes and Statutes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
April 6, 2023 DE SB 52 Amends Delaware Statutes Regarding the Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5)
April 6, 2023 MD SB 424 Establishes an Environmental Product Declaration Assistance Fund and a Maximum Acceptable Global Warming Potential for Certain Construction Materials Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 8)
April 6, 2023 OR SB 615 Establishes New Penalties for Street Racing and Gang Activity Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7)
April 5, 2023 ND HB 1350 Establishes Places That a Person Can Carry a Concealed Weapon and Penalties for Armed Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 2)
April 5, 2023 ND HB 1340 Prohibits Local Governments from Enforcing Stricter Gun Laws then Passed by the State Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6)
April 5, 2023 NC HB 149 Appropriates Emergency Funding for the Disaster Recovery Act Part I Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
April 5, 2023 TX SB 2015 Establishes a 50% Dispatchable Energy Generation Goal for the ERCOT Grid Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
April 4, 2023 CO SB 23-188 Establishes State Protections For Accessing Reproductive Health Care Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 4, 2023 CO SB 23-189 Increases State Access to Reproductive Healthcare Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 3, 2023 ND HB 1473 Requires Designated Male and Female Restrooms, Lockers, and Showers in Correctional Facilities and Dormitories Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/10 HB 1608 Prohibits the Instruction of Human Sexuality in Students From Pre-K Through Grade Three Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
4/10 HB 1394 Establishes a Developmentally Appropriate Response to Youth Who Commit Sexual Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
4/10 HB 1071 Prohibits the Smell of Cannabis as Reasonable Suspicion or Probable Cause for Police Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
4/10 SB 326 Requires Owner of Property Where the Manufacture of Marijuana Takes Place to Clean Up Waste Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
4/07 SB 37 Reduces the Time Period to Apply for Criminal Record Expungement for Certain Offenses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 13)
4/07 SB 495 Requires Convicted Individuals Serve Out the Majority of Their Sentences Instead of Early Release Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
4/07 HB 824 Prohibits Certain Individuals on Probation from Receiving a Concealed Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
4/07 HB 1564 Prohibits the Sale of Over-the-Counter Sexual Assault Kits Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
4/07 HB 185 Prohibits Corporal Punishment in Private Schools Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 7)
4/07 HB 90 Authorizes Counties and Municipalities to Regulate Invasive Bamboo Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 5)
4/07 HB 830 Authorizes Local Governments Require New Housing Units Have Electric Vehicle Parking Spaces Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 4)
4/06 SB 17 Expands Affordable Housing Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 9)
4/06 SB 26 Prohibits Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Minors Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12)
4/06 SB 228 Prohibits Transgender Inmates Access to Overnight Accommodations Consistent with Their Gender Identity Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 3)
4/06 SB 244 Amends and Provides Technical Updates to Various Codes and Statutes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
4/06 SB 52 Amends Delaware Statutes Regarding the Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5)
4/06 SB 424 Establishes an Environmental Product Declaration Assistance Fund and a Maximum Acceptable Global Warming Potential for Certain Construction Materials Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 8)
4/06 SB 615 Establishes New Penalties for Street Racing and Gang Activity Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7)
4/05 HB 1350 Establishes Places That a Person Can Carry a Concealed Weapon and Penalties for Armed Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 2)
4/05 HB 1340 Prohibits Local Governments from Enforcing Stricter Gun Laws then Passed by the State Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6)
4/05 HB 149 Appropriates Emergency Funding for the Disaster Recovery Act Part I Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
4/05 SB 2015 Establishes a 50% Dispatchable Energy Generation Goal for the ERCOT Grid Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
4/04 SB 23-188 Establishes State Protections For Accessing Reproductive Health Care Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/04 SB 23-189 Increases State Access to Reproductive Healthcare Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/03 HB 1473 Requires Designated Male and Female Restrooms, Lockers, and Showers in Correctional Facilities and Dormitories Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 5)

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