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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 15, 2014 | PA | HB 1750 | Prohibits Pigeon Shoots | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| Oct. 15, 2014 | PA | HB 1750 | Prohibits Pigeon Shoots | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| Oct. 6, 2014 | PA | HB 1243 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - House (143 - 54) |
| March 19, 2013 | PA | SB 644 | Amends the Definition of "Wild Animal" | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Oct. 17, 2012 | PA | SB 850 | Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| Oct. 17, 2012 | PA | SB 941 | Increases Penalties for Public Intoxication | Bill Passed - House (104 - 87) |
| June 13, 2012 | PA | HB 2400 | Expands Wiretapping Authority | Bill Passed - House (145 - 52) |
| March 14, 2012 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
| March 7, 2012 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| Nov. 15, 2011 | PA | HB 439 | Hiring Undocumented Workers | Bill Passed - House (122 - 74) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (130 - 66) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 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 | |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | PA | HB 262 | New Gaming Unit in the Office of Attorney General | Bill Passed - House (126 - 72) |
| Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
| Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
| Oct. 14, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
| Oct. 14, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
| Oct. 5, 2010 | PA | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
| Oct. 5, 2010 | PA | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
| July 1, 2010 | PA | HB 67 | Driving Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (71 - 126) |
| June 30, 2010 | PA | HB 2572 | Establishing the Special Juvenile Victim Compensation Fund | Bill Passed - House (125 - 76) |
| June 29, 2010 | PA | SR 348 | Audit of Methadone Treatment Programs & Medical Assistance Transportation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| June 29, 2010 | PA | HB 2189 | Defining the Offense of Sexting | Bill Passed - House (163 - 36) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/15 | HB 1750 | Prohibits Pigeon Shoots | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 10/15 | HB 1750 | Prohibits Pigeon Shoots | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 10/06 | HB 1243 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - House (143 - 54) |
| 3/19 | SB 644 | Amends the Definition of "Wild Animal" | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 10/17 | SB 850 | Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| 10/17 | SB 941 | Increases Penalties for Public Intoxication | Bill Passed - House (104 - 87) |
| 6/13 | HB 2400 | Expands Wiretapping Authority | Bill Passed - House (145 - 52) |
| 3/14 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
| 3/07 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 11/15 | HB 439 | Hiring Undocumented Workers | Bill Passed - House (122 - 74) |
| 6/30 | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (130 - 66) |
| 6/30 | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 6/23 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - House (108 - 88) |
| 3/04 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | |
| 2/15 | HB 262 | New Gaming Unit in the Office of Attorney General | Bill Passed - House (126 - 72) |
| 11/15 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
| 11/15 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
| 10/14 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
| 10/14 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
| 10/05 | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
| 10/05 | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
| 7/01 | HB 67 | Driving Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (71 - 126) |
| 6/30 | HB 2572 | Establishing the Special Juvenile Victim Compensation Fund | Bill Passed - House (125 - 76) |
| 6/29 | SR 348 | Audit of Methadone Treatment Programs & Medical Assistance Transportation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 6/29 | HB 2189 | Defining the Offense of Sexting | Bill Passed - House (163 - 36) |