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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 17, 2021 | SC | H 3105 | Establishes Churches as Essential Services | Bill Passed - House (83 - 22) |
| March 9, 2021 | SC | S 571 | Expands Availability of Naloxone (Narcan) Prescriptions to Patients Under Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
| Sept. 15, 2020 | SC | H 4831 | Prohibits the Release of Non-Native Species Into the Wild | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
| March 4, 2020 | SC | H 3967 | Establishes Requirements for the Treatment of Female Inmates | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 0) |
| May 20, 2019 | SC | H 4243 | Authorizes Tax Incentives for Carolina Panthers Training Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 17) |
| May 9, 2019 | SC | S 11 | Authorizes Year-Round Daylight Savings Time | Bill Passed - House (97 - 10) |
| April 25, 2019 | SC | H 3020 | Prohibits Abortion After a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Bill Passed - House (64 - 22) |
| March 26, 2019 | SC | H 4243 | Authorizes Tax Incentives for Carolina Panthers Training Facilities | Bill Passed - House (90 - 25) |
| May 9, 2018 | SC | S 109 | Prohibits Flying Drones Over Military Installations | Bill Passed - House (88 - 1) |
| April 5, 2017 | SC | H 3930 | Amends Handgun Carry Rules | Bill Passed - House (64 - 46) |
| April 5, 2017 | SC | H 3930 | Amends Handgun Carry Rules | Bill Passed - House (64 - 46) |
| March 10, 2017 | SC | H 3643 | Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy | Bill Passed - House (103 - 3) |
| March 3, 2016 | SC | H 4701 | Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Restrictions on Firearms | Bill Passed - House (64 - 30) |
| Jan. 28, 2016 | SC | H 3521 | Prohibits Courts From Enforcing Foreign Law | Bill Passed - House (68 - 42) |
| July 9, 2015 | SC | S 897 | Requires Removal of Confederate Flag from Capitol Grounds | Bill Passed - House (94 - 20) |
| April 30, 2014 | SC | H 3435 | Amends Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| Jan. 23, 2014 | SC | SB 308 | Authorizes Carrying Concealed Weapons into Businesses that Serve Alcohol | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (90 - 18) |
| Jan. 15, 2014 | SC | H 3147 | Expands Workers' Compensation for Certain Injuries to Law Enforcement Officers | Bill Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| March 29, 2012 | SC | H 4894 | Authorizes Income Tax Credit for Tuition Payments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 38) |
| March 28, 2012 | SC | SB 1227 | Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds | Bill Passed - House (85 - 22) |
| May 25, 2011 | SC | S 20 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| May 11, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
| April 26, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36) |
| March 29, 2011 | SC | H 3408 | Freedom of Conscience Act | Bill Passed - House (69 - 41) |
| March 10, 2011 | SC | S 20 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 9) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 17) |
| Jan. 26, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - House (74 - 45) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | SC | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | SC | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| March 3, 2009 | SC | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | SC | H 3245 | 24-Hour Waiting Period for Abortions | Bill Passed - House (87 - 24) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | SC | Amdt 2 | Exempting Cases of Rape from Abortion Waiting Period | Amendment Tabled - House (69 - 45) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | SC | Amdt 5 | Prohibiting Employment Termination Due to Abortion Waiting Period | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 60) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| May 29, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| May 29, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| May 14, 2008 | SC | H 3032 | Immigration Reform | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| April 10, 2008 | SC | H 3427 | Ending Common Law Marriage | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| June 6, 2007 | SC | H 3964 | Concealed Firearms in Schools | Motion Agreed - House (47 - 41) |
| May 30, 2007 | SC | Amendment No. P-2B | State Scholarships for Private Schools | Amendment Tabled - Senate (29 - 15) |
| Jan. 25, 2007 | SC | H 3063 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - House (92 - 7) |
| Jan. 25, 2007 | SC | H 3063 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - House (92 - 7) |
| June 14, 2006 | SC | H 3726 | ATV Use Regulations | Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 31) |
| June 14, 2006 | SC | H 3726 | ATV Use Regulations | Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 22) |
| May 31, 2006 | SC | S 1267 | Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/17 | H 3105 | Establishes Churches as Essential Services | Bill Passed - House (83 - 22) |
| 3/09 | S 571 | Expands Availability of Naloxone (Narcan) Prescriptions to Patients Under Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
| 9/15 | H 4831 | Prohibits the Release of Non-Native Species Into the Wild | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
| 3/04 | H 3967 | Establishes Requirements for the Treatment of Female Inmates | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 0) |
| 5/20 | H 4243 | Authorizes Tax Incentives for Carolina Panthers Training Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 5/09 | S 11 | Authorizes Year-Round Daylight Savings Time | Bill Passed - House (97 - 10) |
| 4/25 | H 3020 | Prohibits Abortion After a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Bill Passed - House (64 - 22) |
| 3/26 | H 4243 | Authorizes Tax Incentives for Carolina Panthers Training Facilities | Bill Passed - House (90 - 25) |
| 5/09 | S 109 | Prohibits Flying Drones Over Military Installations | Bill Passed - House (88 - 1) |
| 4/05 | H 3930 | Amends Handgun Carry Rules | Bill Passed - House (64 - 46) |
| 4/05 | H 3930 | Amends Handgun Carry Rules | Bill Passed - House (64 - 46) |
| 3/10 | H 3643 | Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy | Bill Passed - House (103 - 3) |
| 3/03 | H 4701 | Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Restrictions on Firearms | Bill Passed - House (64 - 30) |
| 1/28 | H 3521 | Prohibits Courts From Enforcing Foreign Law | Bill Passed - House (68 - 42) |
| 7/09 | S 897 | Requires Removal of Confederate Flag from Capitol Grounds | Bill Passed - House (94 - 20) |
| 4/30 | H 3435 | Amends Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| 1/23 | SB 308 | Authorizes Carrying Concealed Weapons into Businesses that Serve Alcohol | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (90 - 18) |
| 1/15 | H 3147 | Expands Workers' Compensation for Certain Injuries to Law Enforcement Officers | Bill Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| 3/29 | H 4894 | Authorizes Income Tax Credit for Tuition Payments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 38) |
| 3/28 | SB 1227 | Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds | Bill Passed - House (85 - 22) |
| 5/25 | S 20 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| 5/11 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
| 4/26 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36) |
| 3/29 | H 3408 | Freedom of Conscience Act | Bill Passed - House (69 - 41) |
| 3/10 | S 20 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 9) |
| 2/10 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 17) |
| 1/26 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - House (74 - 45) |
| 2/24 | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| 2/24 | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| 3/03 | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| 2/26 | H 3245 | 24-Hour Waiting Period for Abortions | Bill Passed - House (87 - 24) |
| 2/24 | Amdt 2 | Exempting Cases of Rape from Abortion Waiting Period | Amendment Tabled - House (69 - 45) |
| 2/24 | Amdt 5 | Prohibiting Employment Termination Due to Abortion Waiting Period | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 60) |
| 10/21 | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| 10/21 | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| 5/29 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| 5/29 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| 5/14 | H 3032 | Immigration Reform | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| 5/07 | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| 5/07 | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| 4/10 | H 3427 | Ending Common Law Marriage | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 1/31 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| 1/31 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| 6/06 | H 3964 | Concealed Firearms in Schools | Motion Agreed - House (47 - 41) |
| 5/30 | Amendment No. P-2B | State Scholarships for Private Schools | Amendment Tabled - Senate (29 - 15) |
| 1/25 | H 3063 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - House (92 - 7) |
| 1/25 | H 3063 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - House (92 - 7) |
| 6/14 | H 3726 | ATV Use Regulations | Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 31) |
| 6/14 | H 3726 | ATV Use Regulations | Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 22) |
| 5/31 | S 1267 | Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27) |