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 30, 2020 | PA | HB 1910 | Establishes New Training Requirements for Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0) |
| June 24, 2020 | PA | HB 1841 | Requires Background Checks for Police Officers | Bill Passed - House (201 - 0) |
| June 24, 2020 | PA | HB 1747 | Limits the Governors Ability to Restrict Firearm Access During a Disaster Emergency | Bill Passed - House (127 - 74) |
| June 24, 2020 | PA | SB 1205 | Prohibits the Use of Police Chokeholds | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0) |
| June 24, 2020 | PA | SB 1205 | Prohibits the Use of Police Chokeholds | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0) |
| June 24, 2020 | PA | HB 1841 | Requires Background Checks for Police Officers | Bill Passed - House (201 - 0) |
| June 24, 2020 | PA | SB 459 | Requires Municipal Law Enforcement Department Adoption of Use of Force Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0) |
| May 20, 2020 | PA | HB 2440 | Classifies Shooting Ranges, Sportsman Clubs, Hunting Facilities, and Firearm Businesses as "Life-Sustaining" | Bill Passed - House (124 - 78) |
| May 20, 2020 | PA | HB 2440 | Classifies Shooting Ranges, Sportsman Clubs, Hunting Facilities, and Firearm Businesses as "Life-Sustaining" | Bill Passed - House (124 - 78) |
| Dec. 18, 2019 | PA | SB 501 | Amends Parole, Probation, and Criminal Sentencing Guidelines | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| Dec. 18, 2019 | PA | HB 1477 | Authorizes Professional Licenses for Ex-Convicts | Bill Passed - House (193 - 4) |
| Dec. 17, 2019 | PA | SB 501 | Amends Parole, Probation, and Criminal Sentencing Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (167 - 29) |
| Nov. 21, 2019 | PA | HB 49 | Authorizes School Police to Make Arrests | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| Nov. 20, 2019 | PA | HB 1402 | Establishes and Defines the Crime of Sexual Extortion | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0) |
| Nov. 20, 2019 | PA | HB 321 | Prohibits Abortions Based on a Diagnosis of Down Syndrome | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Nov. 19, 2019 | PA | HB 49 | Authorizes School Police to Make Arrests | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 37) |
| Nov. 18, 2019 | PA | HB 1890 | Requires a Funeral for, or the Cremation of, Abortion Remains | Bill Passed - House (123 - 76) |
| Oct. 30, 2019 | PA | SB 147 | Establishes Hunting Regulations on Sundays | Bill Passed - House (144 - 54) |
| Oct. 30, 2019 | PA | SB 147 | Establishes Hunting Regulations on Sundays | Bill Passed - House (144 - 54) |
| Oct. 23, 2019 | PA | HB 49 | Authorizes School Police to Make Arrests | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| June 27, 2019 | PA | SB 621 | Authorizes Schools to Arm Security Guards | Bill Passed - House (116 - 83) |
| June 26, 2019 | PA | SB 147 | Establishes Hunting Regulations on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| June 26, 2019 | PA | SB 147 | Establishes Hunting Regulations on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| June 11, 2019 | PA | SB 621 | Authorizes Schools to Arm Security Guards | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| May 14, 2019 | PA | HB 321 | Prohibits Abortions Based on a Diagnosis of Down Syndrome | Bill Passed - House (117 - 76) |
| May 6, 2019 | PA | HB 1058 | Prohibits Abortions Based Solely on a Diagnosis of Down Syndrome | Bill Passed - House (116 - 76) |
| Oct. 17, 2018 | PA | SB 554 | Establishes Protections for Juvenile Human Trafficking Victims | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0) |
| Oct. 17, 2018 | PA | SB 554 | Establishes Protections for Juvenile Human Trafficking Victims | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0) |
| Oct. 3, 2018 | PA | HB 2060 | Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5) |
| Oct. 3, 2018 | PA | HB 2060 | Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5) |
| Sept. 26, 2018 | PA | HB 2060 | Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations | Bill Passed - House (131 - 62) |
| Sept. 26, 2018 | PA | HB 2060 | Requires Surrender of Firearms in Protection Abuse Situations | Bill Passed - House (131 - 62) |
| Sept. 25, 2018 | PA | SB 261 | Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse | Bill Passed - House (173 - 21) |
| June 22, 2018 | PA | HB 864 | Amends Gaming and Gambling Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 29) |
| June 22, 2018 | PA | HB 864 | Amends Gaming and Gambling Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 29) |
| June 22, 2018 | PA | HB 1419 | Authorizes Limited Access to Certain Criminal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0) |
| April 18, 2018 | PA | SB 961 | Increases OWI Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
| April 11, 2018 | PA | HB 1419 | Authorizes Limited Access to Certain Criminal Records | Bill Passed - House (188 - 2) |
| June 28, 2017 | PA | SB 383 | Authorizes Teachers to Carry Firearms on School Property | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| June 13, 2017 | PA | HB 864 | Amends Gaming and Gambling Laws | Bill Passed - House (136 - 56) |
| June 13, 2017 | PA | HB 864 | Amends Gaming and Gambling Laws | Bill Passed - House (136 - 56) |
| May 24, 2017 | PA | HB 271 | Establishes Internet Gambling Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| April 26, 2017 | PA | HB 671 | Authorizes Lawsuits Against Local Governments with Gun Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (134 - 53) |
| April 5, 2017 | PA | HB 741 | Reinstates Mandatory Minimum Sentences | Bill Passed - House (122 - 67) |
| April 5, 2017 | PA | HB 741 | Reinstates Mandatory Minimum Sentences | Bill Passed - House (122 - 67) |
| April 4, 2017 | PA | HB 271 | Establishes Internet Gambling Regulations | Bill Passed - House (142 - 56) |
| Feb. 1, 2017 | PA | SB 261 | Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0) |
| July 13, 2015 | PA | SB 683 | Requires DNA Sample from Individuals Arrested for Certain Crimes | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| Oct. 20, 2014 | PA | HB 80 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (138 - 56) |
| Oct. 16, 2014 | PA | HB 80 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |