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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 11, 2021 | National | S Con Res 14 | A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2022 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2023 through 2031 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 49) |
Aug. 11, 2014 | FL | SB 2-A | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
March 19, 2013 | TX | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
Jan. 29, 2013 | WI | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
May 25, 2021 | PA | SB 426 | Increases Legislative Oversight of the Regulatory Review Process | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
April 14, 2011 | IA | HF 682 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1) |
Feb. 17, 2021 | OH | SB 22 | Authorizes the General Assembly to Repeal the Governor's Emergency Declarations | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
April 1, 2021 | AL | SB 97 | Reduces the Power of the Public Health Officer During a Public Health Emergency | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
March 15, 2021 | MN | SF 4 | Requires the Governor to Seek Approval Before Extending an Emergency Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 29) |
Oct. 23, 2014 | NJ | SCR 125 | Specifies that Proposed Regulations Concerning Greenhouse Gas Cap and Trade Programs are Inconsistent with Legislative Intent | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
June 12, 2020 | MN | SC 1 | Repeals the Governor's Peacetime Emergency Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 29) |
Feb. 24, 2016 | UT | SJR 2 | Urges Congress to Repeal the 17th Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6) |
April 6, 2021 | NV | SB 47 | Authorizes Borrowing Money for Programs Approved by the State Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7) |
March 22, 2016 | KS | SB 439 | Specifies Qualifications for Impeachment | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
April 5, 2017 | DE | SB 27 | Establishes Bipartisan Commission for Drawing Legislative Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 7) |
April 25, 2017 | NY | S 1229 | Establishes Term Limits for Legislative Leadership Positions | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 9) |
May 2, 2017 | WI | SB 15 | Expands Legislature's Regulatory Review Powers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
Feb. 23, 2018 | WA | SB 6617 | Exempts Legislators from Public Records Law | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
Jan. 5, 2022 | ME | SP 620 | Authorizes Legislature to Continue Meeting Electronically | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
April 11, 2018 | MO | SJR 27 | Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
July 19, 2018 | National | S Res 584 | A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate against the making available of current and former diplomats, officials, and members of the Armed Forces of the United States for questioning by the government of Vladimir Putin. | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 0) |
Dec. 5, 2018 | WI | SB 884 | Reduces Period for Early Voting and Limits Powers of the State Attorney General | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
Feb. 5, 2021 | National | S Con Res 5 | A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2021 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2022 through 2030 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 50) |
April 27, 2011 | IN | HB 1601 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
Aug. 31, 2011 | GA | HB 20EX | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21) |
Nov. 7, 2011 | NC | HB 777 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
Oct. 24, 2011 | SD | HB 1001 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
Sept. 23, 2011 | NM | HB 39 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
May 3, 2011 | OK | HB 1527 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 5) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | OH | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
Jan. 20, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
Jan. 27, 2012 | UT | HB 286 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0) |
June 14, 2013 | TX | SB 4 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11) |
April 13, 2023 | VT | S 39 | Increases Compensation and Benefits for Members of the Vermont General Assembly | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
Aug. 21, 2011 | WV | HB 201 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
Nov. 9, 2011 | ND | HB 1473 | New Legislative Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
Aug. 23, 2011 | GA | HB 1EX | House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
June 29, 2011 | MI | HB 4780 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
May 21, 2011 | TX | HB 150 | 2011-2012 Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
Feb. 22, 2013 | KY | SB 40 | Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
May 26, 2011 | NE | LB 704 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
May 25, 2011 | NV | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
April 25, 2013 | MI | SB 288 | Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
Jan. 27, 2015 | CO | SB 52 | Expands Legislative Oversight of the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
April 12, 2011 | OK | S Amdt 1 | Removes Provision Authorizing Legislators to Carry Firearms | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
April 12, 2011 | AR | SB 972 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
March 15, 2012 | KY | SB 18 | Amends Redistricting Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
May 10, 2011 | NV | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |