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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 30, 2020 | CA | SB 855 | Expands Health Insurance Coverage for Mental Health Treatment | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Aug. 30, 2020 | CA | AB 685 | Requires Employers to Report COVID-19 Infections | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| Aug. 30, 2020 | CA | AB 2537 | Requires Hospitals Maintain 3-Month Supply of PPE | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Aug. 28, 2020 | CA | AB 2762 | Prohibits Certain Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| June 26, 2020 | CA | SB 1159 | Requires Coverage of COVID-19 Related Illness and Death Under Workers' Compensation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| June 25, 2020 | CA | SB 1257 | Establishes Employment Safety Standards for Domestic Service Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| June 25, 2020 | CA | SB 793 | Prohibits Flavored Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| March 16, 2020 | CA | SB 117 | Appropriates Funds to Public Schools Amid COVID-19 Emergency Shut-Down | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 0) |
| March 16, 2020 | CA | SB 89 | Amends 2019-2020 State Budget to Appropriate Funds for the COVID-19 Emergency | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 0) |
| Sept. 13, 2019 | CA | AB 792 | Increases Recycled Plastics Percentages Used in Plastic Beverage Bottles | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Sept. 11, 2019 | CA | SB 8 | Prohibits Smoking at Public Parks and Beaches | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| Sept. 11, 2019 | CA | SB 8 | Prohibits Smoking at Public Parks and Beaches | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| Sept. 11, 2019 | CA | AB 824 | Prohibits Pharmaceutical Companies from Using "Pay for Delay" Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Sept. 11, 2019 | CA | AB 936 | Amends Environmental Protections Relating to Heavy Crude Oils | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Sept. 9, 2019 | CA | AB 414 | Establishes a Statewide Individual Mandate Program for Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1) |
| Sept. 9, 2019 | CA | AB 521 | Authorizes Healthcare Professions be Trained to Reduce Firearm-Related Injuries | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| Sept. 9, 2019 | CA | AB 414 | Establishes a Statewide Individual Mandate Program for Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1) |
| Sept. 5, 2019 | CA | AB 1162 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastics for Personal Care Products at Lodging Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Sept. 4, 2019 | CA | AB 500 | Requires Paid Maternity Leave for California Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| Sept. 3, 2019 | CA | AB 624 | Requires Listing a Sexual Assault Hotline and Reproductive Health Care Telephone Numbers on Student Identification Cards | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11) |
| Aug. 30, 2019 | CA | SB 223 | Authorizes Medical Cannabis on K-12 Campuses | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| July 8, 2019 | CA | AB 1054 | Establishes Wildfire Victim Compensation Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 29 | Expands Medi-Cal Program Eligibility to Undocumented Immigrants Ages 19-25 or 65 and Older | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 1 | Rescinds Federal Freeze of Environmental Deregulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 210 | Establishes a Smog-Check Program for Diesel Trucks | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 54 | Requires Single-Use Plastics be made from Recyclable Materials | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| May 28, 2019 | CA | SB 43 | Establishes the Feasibility and Practicality of Assessing the Carbon Intensity of Retail Products Subject to the Sales and Use Tax Law | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| May 28, 2019 | CA | SB 65 | Establishes Financial Assistance for Low Income Residents Buying Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| May 22, 2019 | CA | SB 276 | Establishes Procedures for Receiving Medical Exemptions from Vaccinations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| May 21, 2019 | CA | SB 159 | Authorizes Use of HIV Prevention Drugs Without Prescription | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 1) |
| May 21, 2019 | CA | SB 159 | Authorizes Use of HIV Prevention Drugs Without Prescription | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 1) |
| May 21, 2019 | CA | SB 58 | Authorizes Bars to Remain Open Until 3 AM | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| May 21, 2019 | CA | SB 307 | Prohibits Water Transfers from Desert Groundwater Basins | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 20, 2019 | CA | SB 24 | Requires Public Universities Offer and Cover the Cost of Abortion Drugs | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| April 11, 2019 | CA | SB 78 | Requires Citizens Purchase Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Aug. 21, 2018 | CA | SB 1192 | Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| Aug. 21, 2018 | CA | SB 1192 | Requires Beverages Included in Kids' Meals to be Milk or Water | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| June 28, 2018 | CA | AB 1838 | Prohibits Local Grocery Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| May 31, 2018 | CA | SB 1138 | Requires Prisons to Provide Vegan Meal Options | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| May 30, 2018 | CA | SB 905 | Authorizes Alcohol Sales Until 4 AM | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| May 29, 2018 | CA | SB 836 | Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| May 10, 2018 | CA | AB 1668 | Requires Water-Use Targets | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| March 5, 2018 | CA | AJR 29 | Expresses Opposition to Executive Offshore Drilling Proposal | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
| Sept. 12, 2017 | CA | AB 569 | Prohibits Firing Employees for Obtaining Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Sept. 5, 2017 | CA | AB 841 | Restricts Marketing of Unhealthy Foods in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| July 17, 2017 | CA | AB 617 | Establishes Air-Quality Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| July 17, 2017 | CA | AB 398 | Extends California's Cap-and-Trade Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| May 31, 2017 | CA | SB 100 | Increases the State Renewable Energy Target | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| May 30, 2017 | CA | SB 328 | Amends School Start Time | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| April 6, 2017 | CA | SB 1 | Increases Gas and Vehicle Taxes to Pay for Road and Bridge Repairs | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 859 | Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | AB 1671 | Prohibits Unauthorized Disclosure of Confidential Communications with Healthcare Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Aug. 30, 2016 | CA | SB 1333 | Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches and Parks | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| Aug. 24, 2016 | CA | SB 32 | Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions Levels | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Aug. 22, 2016 | CA | AB 197 | Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| June 2, 2016 | CA | SB 10 | Authorizes Undocumented Immigrants to be Eligible for Health Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| June 1, 2016 | CA | SB 1033 | Requires Physicians to Disclose Probationary Status | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 13) |
| May 31, 2016 | CA | SB 1333 | Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches and Parks | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| April 25, 2016 | CA | SB 966 | Prohibits Extending Sentences for Repeat Drug Offenders | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| March 10, 2016 | CA | SB 5 | Amends Regulations for E-Cigarettes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| March 10, 2016 | CA | SB 7 | Increases Smoking Age to 21 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| Sept. 11, 2015 | CA | AB 15 | Authorizes A Physician to Prescribe Aid-in-Dying Drugs | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Sept. 4, 2015 | CA | AB 888 | Prohibits the Sale of Products Containing Plastic Microbeads | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Aug. 27, 2015 | CA | SB 5 | Amends Regulations for E-Cigarettes | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Aug. 27, 2015 | CA | SB 7 | Increases Smoking Age to 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| June 29, 2015 | CA | SB 277 | Amends School Immunization Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| June 4, 2015 | CA | SB 128 | Authorizes Prescription of "Aid-in-Dying Drugs" | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| June 3, 2015 | CA | SB 32 | Establishes Certain Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| June 2, 2015 | CA | SB 4 | Expands Health Care Coverage to Certain Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| June 2, 2015 | CA | SB 151 | Increases Smoking Age | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| June 2, 2015 | CA | SB 140 | Prohibits Smoking Electronic Cigarettes in Certain Indoor Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 14, 2015 | CA | SB 277 | Amends School Immunization Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Aug. 29, 2014 | CA | SB 270 | Prohibits Retailers from Using Single-Use Carryout Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Aug. 29, 2014 | CA | SB 1168 | Requires Sustainability Plans for Groundwater Usage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Aug. 29, 2014 | CA | SB 1319 | Authorizes Groundwater Sustainability Plan for Certain Water Basins | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |