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
Oct. 1, 2024 PA SB 153 Exempts Milk Haulers from Travel Bans Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
Sept. 17, 2024 PA SB 169 Amends Juvenile Statutes in Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Sept. 17, 2024 PA SB 170 Amends Criminal Statutes Governing the Duties of Probation Officers Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 2)
Sept. 17, 2024 PA SB 173 Establishes a Safe Exchange Zone Program Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1)
July 11, 2024 PA SB 1150 Establishes the Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
July 11, 2024 PA SB 688 Authorizes Alcohol Sellers to Get a Permit to Sell Ready-to-Drink Alcohol Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
July 11, 2024 PA SB 1154 Amends the Public School Code of 1949 for Higher Education Institutions and Establishes Performance Based Funding Council Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
July 11, 2024 PA SB 700 Appropriates Funding for Cell Phone Pouches in Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
July 11, 2024 PA SB 24 Requires Automatic Return of Unclaimed Property Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
July 11, 2024 PA SB 656 Amends and Restructures Taxes for Electric Vehicles Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
July 11, 2024 PA HB 2310 Amends the Fiscal Code in Emergency Response to COVID-19 Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
July 11, 2024 PA HB 897 Expands Programs Related to Higher Education Institutions and Outlines Protocol for Credits Needed when a Student is Transferring Into the Institution Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 3)
July 11, 2024 PA HB 1889 Amends and Reforms Electronic Billing Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
July 11, 2024 PA HB 115 Amends and Simplifies Heir Estates Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
July 11, 2024 PA HB 663 Establishes New Guidelines for Students, Families, and School Districts During Residency Disputes Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
July 10, 2024 PA SB 1160 Establishes Vietnam War Veterans Day Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
July 9, 2024 PA HB 1466 Increases Pennsylvanians' Freedom of Speech and Those Subject to Frivolous Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
July 3, 2024 PA HB 1716 Specifies Shareholder Rights in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
July 3, 2024 PA SB 67 Repeals Provisions that Prohibited Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
July 3, 2024 PA SB 1207 Authorizes School Districts to Prohibit Student Cell Phone Use During School Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 5)
July 2, 2024 PA HB 829 Amends State Laws Related to Liquor Regulation and Licensing in Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3)
July 1, 2024 PA HB 2096 Specifies a Surplus Insurance Lines Fee Structure Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 27, 2024 PA SB 1260 Prohibits Any Boycott, Divestment, or Sanction (BDS) Efforts Against Israel Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
June 26, 2024 PA HB 109 Prohibits Companies from Charging Early Termination Fees Due to Death Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 4)
June 26, 2024 PA SB 1031 Amends Current Law to Allow Cosmetologists to do Hair Braiding Traditionally Done in Black Beauty Shops Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
June 21, 2024 PA SB 561 Requires Further Periodical Inspection of Motor Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
June 12, 2024 PA SB 1236 Establishes Landlord and Homeowner Protections from Squatters Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
June 12, 2024 PA SB 761 Requires the Department of Labor and Industry to Provide Users with Wage and Employment Data Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
June 11, 2024 PA SB 1151 Establishes the Grow PA Merit Scholarship Program Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1)
June 11, 2024 PA SB 1155 Establishes a Higher Education Task Force to Improve Higher Education and Career Preparation Programs Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
June 10, 2024 PA SB 1152 Expands the Eligibility Requirements for Scholarships Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3)
June 10, 2024 PA SB 1153 Expands the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program Nationwide Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 10, 2024 PA SB 1213 Prohibits Artificially Generated Sexual Depictions (Deep-Fakes) Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 4, 2024 PA SB 1051 Authorizes the Board of Finance and Revenue (BF&R) to Accept Late-Filed Tax Applications Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
June 3, 2024 PA SB 1102 Establishes a Long-Term Care Curriculum for Nurse's Aides Developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 8)
May 7, 2024 PA SB 37 Prohibits Distracted Driving and Establishes Penalties Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
May 7, 2024 PA SB 920 Amends the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act to Provide Further Rights to Victims Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
May 1, 2024 PA SB 832 Authorizes Energy Companies to Bypass State Agencies when Applying for a Permit to Build Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 22)
April 9, 2024 PA SB 831 Appropriates Funding for State Carbon Capture Projects Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
April 5, 2024 PA SB 745 Requires Contracts for Information Technology Commodities Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
March 18, 2024 PA SB 559 Amends State Definitions for Athletic Trainers Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 1)
Feb. 7, 2024 PA SB 228 Establishes a Process for Museums to Claim Property Rights on Abandoned, Unclaimed, or Undocumented Property Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Feb. 7, 2024 PA SB 792 Establishes Enhanced Counterterrorism Planning Resources Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Dec. 13, 2023 PA HB 301 Appropriates Millions for Various State Education Funding Costs Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
Dec. 13, 2023 PA SB 843 Amends Various Education Regulations and Standards Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (45 - 5)
Dec. 13, 2023 PA HB 1284 Authorizes Speed Cameras on Philadelphia's Roosevelt Avenue and Expands the Program Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3)
Oct. 24, 2023 PA SB 7 Authorizes Parents to Review Explicit materials in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Sept. 20, 2023 PA HB 797 Requires the Department of Transportation Plant Vegetation Native to Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 2)
Sept. 20, 2023 PA SB 773 Authorizes State Medical Cannabis Growers and Processors to Sell Their Products Directly to Patients Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 3)
Aug. 30, 2023 PA HB 1300 Authorizes Funding for Home Repair Subsidies, Adult Mental Health Services, and Public Defenders Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
June 30, 2023 PA HB 611 Appropriates Funding for the General Budget for the State of Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
June 29, 2023 PA HB 479 Establishes Taxpayer-Funded Private School Tuition Vouchers for Children in Low-Performing School Districts Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
June 28, 2023 PA SB 750 Requires High School Seniors to Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 4)
June 27, 2023 PA SB 838 Amends the State Probation Program to Make it Easier for Individuals that Meet Educational or Employment Goals Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
June 22, 2023 PA SB 753 Amends the Boroughs and Incorporated Towns Code of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
June 21, 2023 PA SB 656 Amends and Restructures Taxes for Electric Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 9)
May 22, 2023 PA SB 190 Defines and Provides for Existing Regulatory Practices Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
May 10, 2023 PA SB 350 Amends and Reforms the State Permitting Process Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
May 10, 2023 PA SB 245 Establishes New Rules Regarding Eligibility for Welfare Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
May 2, 2023 PA SB 140 Authorizes the State Attorney General to Appoint a Special Prosecutor for South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
March 6, 2023 PA SB 8 Repeals All Patient's Share Costs Associated with Mammograms and Screenings for Breast and Ovarian Cancers Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
Jan. 18, 2023 PA SB 84 Authorizes Teacher Religious Garb in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Jan. 11, 2023 PA SB 1 Authorizes Constitutional Amendment Requiring Valid Identification When Voting Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
Jan. 11, 2023 PA SB 35 Repeals the Automatic Gas Tax Increase for 2023 and Permanently Sets the Wholesale Price of Gas at $2.99 Per Gallon Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
Jan. 3, 2023 PA SR 1 Amends Senate Ethics Rules Resolution Passed - Senate (47 - 2)
Oct. 26, 2022 PA HB 1059 Amends Tax Law Relating to Personal Income Tax and Transfer of Tax Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
Oct. 26, 2022 PA HB 1393 Defines Testing of Fentanyl Test Strips and Other Compounds in Relation to Controlled Substances Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
Oct. 25, 2022 PA HB 1546 Prohibits "Endangerment" of Public Safety Officials Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 2)
Oct. 25, 2022 PA HB 2633 Amends Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Language in Previous State Law Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Oct. 18, 2022 PA SB 1243 Requires High School Students Pass a Financial Literacy Class Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
Sept. 20, 2022 PA SB 431 Amends Hunting and Furtaking Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 5)
July 8, 2022 PA SB 106 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment that States there is No Right to Taxpayer-Funded Abortion and Amends Voter ID Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
July 7, 2022 PA SB 1284 Appropriates Funds for State-Related Universities Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
July 6, 2022 PA SB 1183 Limits Use of Off-Road Vehicles; Authorizes Forfeiture Thereof Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 2)
July 6, 2022 PA HB 146 Prohibits Premature Release of an Individual who has Committed a Violent Offense while Imprisoned Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/01 SB 153 Exempts Milk Haulers from Travel Bans Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
9/17 SB 169 Amends Juvenile Statutes in Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
9/17 SB 170 Amends Criminal Statutes Governing the Duties of Probation Officers Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 2)
9/17 SB 173 Establishes a Safe Exchange Zone Program Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1)
7/11 SB 1150 Establishes the Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
7/11 SB 688 Authorizes Alcohol Sellers to Get a Permit to Sell Ready-to-Drink Alcohol Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
7/11 SB 1154 Amends the Public School Code of 1949 for Higher Education Institutions and Establishes Performance Based Funding Council Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
7/11 SB 700 Appropriates Funding for Cell Phone Pouches in Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
7/11 SB 24 Requires Automatic Return of Unclaimed Property Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
7/11 SB 656 Amends and Restructures Taxes for Electric Vehicles Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
7/11 HB 2310 Amends the Fiscal Code in Emergency Response to COVID-19 Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
7/11 HB 897 Expands Programs Related to Higher Education Institutions and Outlines Protocol for Credits Needed when a Student is Transferring Into the Institution Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 3)
7/11 HB 1889 Amends and Reforms Electronic Billing Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
7/11 HB 115 Amends and Simplifies Heir Estates Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
7/11 HB 663 Establishes New Guidelines for Students, Families, and School Districts During Residency Disputes Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
7/10 SB 1160 Establishes Vietnam War Veterans Day Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
7/09 HB 1466 Increases Pennsylvanians' Freedom of Speech and Those Subject to Frivolous Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
7/03 HB 1716 Specifies Shareholder Rights in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
7/03 SB 67 Repeals Provisions that Prohibited Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
7/03 SB 1207 Authorizes School Districts to Prohibit Student Cell Phone Use During School Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 5)
7/02 HB 829 Amends State Laws Related to Liquor Regulation and Licensing in Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3)
7/01 HB 2096 Specifies a Surplus Insurance Lines Fee Structure Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/27 SB 1260 Prohibits Any Boycott, Divestment, or Sanction (BDS) Efforts Against Israel Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
6/26 HB 109 Prohibits Companies from Charging Early Termination Fees Due to Death Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 4)
6/26 SB 1031 Amends Current Law to Allow Cosmetologists to do Hair Braiding Traditionally Done in Black Beauty Shops Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
6/21 SB 561 Requires Further Periodical Inspection of Motor Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
6/12 SB 1236 Establishes Landlord and Homeowner Protections from Squatters Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
6/12 SB 761 Requires the Department of Labor and Industry to Provide Users with Wage and Employment Data Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
6/11 SB 1151 Establishes the Grow PA Merit Scholarship Program Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1)
6/11 SB 1155 Establishes a Higher Education Task Force to Improve Higher Education and Career Preparation Programs Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
6/10 SB 1152 Expands the Eligibility Requirements for Scholarships Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3)
6/10 SB 1153 Expands the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program Nationwide Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/10 SB 1213 Prohibits Artificially Generated Sexual Depictions (Deep-Fakes) Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/04 SB 1051 Authorizes the Board of Finance and Revenue (BF&R) to Accept Late-Filed Tax Applications Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
6/03 SB 1102 Establishes a Long-Term Care Curriculum for Nurse's Aides Developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 8)
5/07 SB 37 Prohibits Distracted Driving and Establishes Penalties Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
5/07 SB 920 Amends the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act to Provide Further Rights to Victims Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
5/01 SB 832 Authorizes Energy Companies to Bypass State Agencies when Applying for a Permit to Build Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 22)
4/09 SB 831 Appropriates Funding for State Carbon Capture Projects Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
4/05 SB 745 Requires Contracts for Information Technology Commodities Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
3/18 SB 559 Amends State Definitions for Athletic Trainers Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 1)
2/07 SB 228 Establishes a Process for Museums to Claim Property Rights on Abandoned, Unclaimed, or Undocumented Property Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
2/07 SB 792 Establishes Enhanced Counterterrorism Planning Resources Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
12/13 HB 301 Appropriates Millions for Various State Education Funding Costs Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
12/13 SB 843 Amends Various Education Regulations and Standards Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (45 - 5)
12/13 HB 1284 Authorizes Speed Cameras on Philadelphia's Roosevelt Avenue and Expands the Program Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3)
10/24 SB 7 Authorizes Parents to Review Explicit materials in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
9/20 HB 797 Requires the Department of Transportation Plant Vegetation Native to Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 2)
9/20 SB 773 Authorizes State Medical Cannabis Growers and Processors to Sell Their Products Directly to Patients Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 3)
8/30 HB 1300 Authorizes Funding for Home Repair Subsidies, Adult Mental Health Services, and Public Defenders Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
6/30 HB 611 Appropriates Funding for the General Budget for the State of Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
6/29 HB 479 Establishes Taxpayer-Funded Private School Tuition Vouchers for Children in Low-Performing School Districts Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
6/28 SB 750 Requires High School Seniors to Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 4)
6/27 SB 838 Amends the State Probation Program to Make it Easier for Individuals that Meet Educational or Employment Goals Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
6/22 SB 753 Amends the Boroughs and Incorporated Towns Code of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
6/21 SB 656 Amends and Restructures Taxes for Electric Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 9)
5/22 SB 190 Defines and Provides for Existing Regulatory Practices Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
5/10 SB 350 Amends and Reforms the State Permitting Process Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
5/10 SB 245 Establishes New Rules Regarding Eligibility for Welfare Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
5/02 SB 140 Authorizes the State Attorney General to Appoint a Special Prosecutor for South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
3/06 SB 8 Repeals All Patient's Share Costs Associated with Mammograms and Screenings for Breast and Ovarian Cancers Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
1/18 SB 84 Authorizes Teacher Religious Garb in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
1/11 SB 1 Authorizes Constitutional Amendment Requiring Valid Identification When Voting Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
1/11 SB 35 Repeals the Automatic Gas Tax Increase for 2023 and Permanently Sets the Wholesale Price of Gas at $2.99 Per Gallon Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
1/03 SR 1 Amends Senate Ethics Rules Resolution Passed - Senate (47 - 2)
10/26 HB 1059 Amends Tax Law Relating to Personal Income Tax and Transfer of Tax Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
10/26 HB 1393 Defines Testing of Fentanyl Test Strips and Other Compounds in Relation to Controlled Substances Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
10/25 HB 1546 Prohibits "Endangerment" of Public Safety Officials Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 2)
10/25 HB 2633 Amends Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Language in Previous State Law Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
10/18 SB 1243 Requires High School Students Pass a Financial Literacy Class Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
9/20 SB 431 Amends Hunting and Furtaking Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 5)
7/08 SB 106 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment that States there is No Right to Taxpayer-Funded Abortion and Amends Voter ID Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
7/07 SB 1284 Appropriates Funds for State-Related Universities Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
7/06 SB 1183 Limits Use of Off-Road Vehicles; Authorizes Forfeiture Thereof Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 2)
7/06 HB 146 Prohibits Premature Release of an Individual who has Committed a Violent Offense while Imprisoned Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 9)

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