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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 6, 2018 | NY | S 7415 | Prohibits Leasing Plans for Pets | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0) |
| March 30, 2018 | NY | S 8121 | Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| March 30, 2018 | NY | S 8121 | Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| March 21, 2018 | NY | S 3698 | Prohibits Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| June 19, 2017 | NY | S 5512A | Establishes Harsher Penalties for Bomb Threats Against Community Centers | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 0) |
| March 24, 2015 | NY | S 2159 | Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 14) |
| April 30, 2014 | NY | A 9206 | Authorizes Traffic Cameras on Long Island | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 11) |
| March 17, 2014 | NY | A 2597A | Establishes the New York DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Failed - Senate (30 - 29) |
| Jan. 14, 2013 | NY | S 2230 | Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18) |
| April 18, 2012 | NY | S 1707A | Authorizes Professional Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 14) |
| March 14, 2012 | NY | A 9556 | Authorizes Casino Gambling | Amendment Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
| March 14, 2012 | NY | S 6733 | Expands DNA Database to Include Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | NY | S 6087-A | Authorizes the Use of School Property for Religious Meetings and Worship | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 7) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | NY | S 5560-A | Requires DNA Testing of All Persons Convicted of Certain Crimes | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10) |
| June 24, 2011 | NY | A 8354 | Marriage Equality Enactment | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29) |
| May 23, 2011 | NY | S 1707 | Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18) |
| June 24, 2010 | NY | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
| June 24, 2010 | NY | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
| June 24, 2010 | NY | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
| June 16, 2010 | NY | S 2165B | Allows Mixed Martial Arts Performances and Ultimate Fighting | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| June 15, 2010 | NY | S 5620 | Reducing Drug Penalties for Offenders with Hypodermic Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18) |
| June 15, 2010 | NY | S 3890 | Divorce Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| June 15, 2010 | NY | S 5620 | Reducing Drug Penalties for Offenders with Hypodermic Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18) |
| Dec. 2, 2009 | NY | A 40003 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 38) |
| Dec. 2, 2009 | NY | A 40003 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 38) |
| June 12, 2008 | NY | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| June 12, 2008 | NY | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | NY | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17) |
| Oct. 22, 2007 | NY | S 6484 | Driver's License Citizenship Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19) |
| May 14, 2007 | NY | S 319 | Death Penalty For Certain Murders | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 24) |
| March 5, 2007 | NY | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| June 21, 2006 | NY | S 8446 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2) |
| June 21, 2006 | NY | S 8446 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2) |
| June 13, 2006 | NY | S 6771 | Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/06 | S 7415 | Prohibits Leasing Plans for Pets | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0) |
| 3/30 | S 8121 | Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| 3/30 | S 8121 | Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Domestic Abuse from Purchasing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| 3/21 | S 3698 | Prohibits Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| 6/19 | S 5512A | Establishes Harsher Penalties for Bomb Threats Against Community Centers | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 0) |
| 3/24 | S 2159 | Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 14) |
| 4/30 | A 9206 | Authorizes Traffic Cameras on Long Island | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 11) |
| 3/17 | A 2597A | Establishes the New York DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Failed - Senate (30 - 29) |
| 1/14 | S 2230 | Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18) |
| 4/18 | S 1707A | Authorizes Professional Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 14) |
| 3/14 | A 9556 | Authorizes Casino Gambling | Amendment Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
| 3/14 | S 6733 | Expands DNA Database to Include Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| 2/06 | S 6087-A | Authorizes the Use of School Property for Religious Meetings and Worship | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 7) |
| 1/31 | S 5560-A | Requires DNA Testing of All Persons Convicted of Certain Crimes | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10) |
| 6/24 | A 8354 | Marriage Equality Enactment | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29) |
| 5/23 | S 1707 | Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18) |
| 6/24 | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
| 6/24 | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
| 6/24 | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
| 6/16 | S 2165B | Allows Mixed Martial Arts Performances and Ultimate Fighting | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| 6/15 | S 5620 | Reducing Drug Penalties for Offenders with Hypodermic Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18) |
| 6/15 | S 3890 | Divorce Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| 6/15 | S 5620 | Reducing Drug Penalties for Offenders with Hypodermic Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18) |
| 12/02 | A 40003 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 38) |
| 12/02 | A 40003 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 38) |
| 6/12 | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| 6/12 | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| 2/13 | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17) |
| 10/22 | S 6484 | Driver's License Citizenship Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19) |
| 5/14 | S 319 | Death Penalty For Certain Murders | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 24) |
| 3/05 | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| 6/21 | S 8446 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2) |
| 6/21 | S 8446 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2) |
| 6/13 | S 6771 | Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 23) |