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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 2021 | PA | HB 72 | Establishes a Review Process for Major Regulations | Bill Passed - House (108 - 93) |
| May 4, 2021 | PA | HB 139 | Establishes New Rules for Permit Programs for Annual Reports | Bill Passed - House (113 - 88) |
| May 4, 2021 | PA | HB 288 | Authorizes an Agency's Regulatory Compliance Officer to Create Guidelines for Waiving Fines or Penalties | Bill Passed - House (106 - 95) |
| May 4, 2021 | PA | HB 950 | Extends Greater Authority to the General Assembly Over Regulatory Repeals | Bill Passed - House (109 - 92) |
| April 5, 2021 | PA | HB 335 | Establishes the Permanent Status of Daylight Savings Time | Bill Passed - House (103 - 98) |
| Feb. 5, 2021 | PA | SB 2 | Specifies Executive Power Over Disaster Emergency Declarations and Management | Bill Passed - House (116 - 86) |
| Jan. 27, 2021 | PA | HB 55 | Limits Governor Emergency Declaration Powers | Bill Passed - House (116 - 86) |
| Jan. 27, 2021 | PA | HB 55 | Limits Governor Emergency Declaration Powers | Bill Passed - House (116 - 86) |
| Nov. 19, 2020 | PA | HR 1100 | Requires Legislative Committee Audit Ballots Cast in 2020 General Election | Resolution Passed - House (112 - 90) |
| Nov. 19, 2020 | PA | HR 1100 | Requires Legislative Committee Audit Ballots Cast in 2020 General Election | Resolution Passed - House (112 - 90) |
| Sept. 15, 2020 | PA | HB 2530 | Prohibits Governor from Disallowing Gatherings at Places of Worship | Bill Passed - House (149 - 53) |
| Sept. 2, 2020 | PA | HB 2626 | Amends the Deadline for Mail-In Voting From 7 to 15 Days Before an Election | Bill Passed - House (112 - 90) |
| Sept. 2, 2020 | PA | HB 1566 | Prohibits License Revocation as Punishment for Not Following Disaster Declaration | Bill Passed - House (115 - 87) |
| July 14, 2020 | PA | SB 1166 | Limits the Governor's Emergency Powers | Bill Passed - House (115 - 86) |
| July 14, 2020 | PA | SB 1166 | Limits the Governor's Emergency Powers | Bill Passed - House (115 - 86) |
| July 14, 2020 | PA | HB 2541 | Authorizes County Commissioners to Reopen Counties | Bill Passed - House (114 - 87) |
| July 14, 2020 | PA | HB 2541 | Authorizes County Commissioners to Reopen Counties | Bill Passed - House (114 - 87) |
| June 24, 2020 | PA | HB 1841 | Requires Background Checks for Police Officers | Bill Passed - House (201 - 0) |
| May 28, 2020 | PA | HR 836 | Establishes a Resolution to Terminate the Governor's Emergency Declaration | Bill Passed - House (117 - 85) |
| April 14, 2020 | PA | SB 613 | Requires the Governor's Office to Follow Federal Guidelines to Reopen Businesses During COVID-19 | Bill Passed - House (107 - 95) |
| April 14, 2020 | PA | HB 2376 | Authorizes Certain Retail Operations and Construction Sites to Reopen | Bill Passed - House (112 - 90) |
| Dec. 18, 2019 | PA | HB 196 | Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Elect Appellate Court Judges by Regional Districts | Bill Passed - House (102 - 95) |
| Dec. 18, 2019 | PA | HB 196 | Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Elect Appellate Court Judges by Regional Districts | Bill Passed - House (102 - 95) |
| Oct. 29, 2019 | PA | SB 421 | Establishes Mail-In Voting | Bill Passed - House (138 - 61) |
| June 27, 2019 | PA | SB 48 | Amends State Election Laws Regarding Straight Party Voting | Bill Passed - House (111 - 88) |
| May 7, 2019 | PA | HB 800 | Increases Amount of Tax Credits Available for Students to Attend the School of Their Choice | Bill Passed - House (111 - 85) |
| March 13, 2018 | PA | HB 153 | Decreases Size of State Legislature | Bill Passed - House (101 - 84) |
| March 13, 2018 | PA | HB 153 | Decreases Size of State Legislature | Bill Passed - House (101 - 84) |
| Sept. 26, 2017 | PA | HB 171 | Authorizes Any Registered Vote to be Appointed a Poll Watcher | Bill Passed - House (106 - 91) |
| April 26, 2017 | PA | HB 671 | Authorizes Lawsuits Against Local Governments with Gun Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (134 - 53) |
| April 4, 2017 | PA | HB 218 | Establishes a Budget for the Fiscal Year 2017-2018 | Bill Passed - House (144 - 84) |
| Oct. 20, 2014 | PA | HB 80 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (138 - 56) |
| Oct. 6, 2014 | PA | HB 1243 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - House (143 - 54) |
| July 1, 2014 | PA | HB 2354 | Requires Legislative Approval for Certain Plans from the Department of Environmental Protection | Bill Passed - House (144 - 59) |
| Jan. 13, 2014 | PA | HB 1411 | Requires Schools To Make Their Expenses Public | Bill Passed - House (119 - 81) |
| Jan. 13, 2014 | PA | HB 1411 | Requires Schools To Make Their Expenses Public | Bill Passed - House (119 - 81) |
| Dec. 17, 2013 | PA | HB 1234 | Reduces Size of General Assembly | Joint Resolution Passed - House (148 - 50) |
| Dec. 17, 2013 | PA | HB 1234 | Reduces Size of General Assembly | Joint Resolution Passed - House (148 - 50) |
| June 30, 2012 | PA | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 72) |
| June 30, 2012 | PA | SB 1263 | Prohibits Gas Drilling in Certain Areas | Bill Passed - House (123 - 74) |
| June 28, 2012 | PA | HB 1307 | Authorizes State Control of Financially Distressed Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 95) |
| June 6, 2012 | PA | SB 1310 | Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (129 - 67) |
| April 4, 2012 | PA | HB 153 | Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly | Bill Passed - House (140 - 49) |
| April 4, 2012 | PA | HB 153 | Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly | Bill Passed - House (140 - 49) |
| March 14, 2012 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
| Dec. 20, 2011 | PA | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| Dec. 20, 2011 | PA | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| June 23, 2011 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - House (108 - 88) |
| March 4, 2011 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | |
| Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 101 | Education Law Amendments | Veto Override Passed - House (171 - 24) |