Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


Page 4 of 4
results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Jan. 3, 2023 WI SJR 1 Establishes the 2023 Legislative Session Schedule Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
April 14, 2010 IL SJR 121 Redistricting Process Modifications Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (36 - 22)
March 19, 2013 TX SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
Feb. 24, 2016 UT SJR 2 Urges Congress to Repeal the 17th Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
March 16, 2021 WI SJR 20 Establishes February 2021 as Black History Month and Honors Black Legislators Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (11 - 20)
April 18, 2010 AK SJR 21 State Legislature Expansion Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4)
March 31, 2010 AK SJR 21 State Legislature Expansion Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
April 11, 2018 MO SJR 27 Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
March 22, 2012 FL SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
Feb. 9, 2009 SD SJR 3 Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Sept. 23, 2009 OH SJR 5 Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Feb. 6, 2007 SD SJR 7 Extension of Term Limits Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
May 19, 2021 National S J Res 13 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission relating to "Update of Commission's Conciliation Procedures". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 48)
April 23, 1996 National S J Res 21 Term Limits bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
Sept. 26, 2019 National SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
Jan. 5, 2022 ME SP 620 Authorizes Legislature to Continue Meeting Electronically Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
Jan. 3, 2023 PA SR 1 Amends Senate Ethics Rules Resolution Passed - Senate (47 - 2)
Jan. 11, 2021 NJ SR 106 Establishes Disapproval of Events of January 6 Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Feb. 18, 2010 GA SR 1120 Temporary Legislative Adjournment Resolution Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
Jan. 14, 2009 TX SR 14 Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
Jan. 11, 2023 TX SR 2 Establishes Redistricting Rules of Procedure Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 0)
March 11, 2021 MI SR 26 Authorizes the Senate Majority Leader to Sue the Governor Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Jan. 22, 2020 National S Res 483 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
Jan. 31, 2020 National S Res 488 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/03 SJR 1 Establishes the 2023 Legislative Session Schedule Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
4/14 SJR 121 Redistricting Process Modifications Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (36 - 22)
3/19 SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
2/24 SJR 2 Urges Congress to Repeal the 17th Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
3/16 SJR 20 Establishes February 2021 as Black History Month and Honors Black Legislators Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (11 - 20)
4/18 SJR 21 State Legislature Expansion Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4)
3/31 SJR 21 State Legislature Expansion Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
4/11 SJR 27 Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
3/22 SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
2/09 SJR 3 Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
9/23 SJR 5 Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
2/06 SJR 7 Extension of Term Limits Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
5/19 S J Res 13 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission relating to "Update of Commission's Conciliation Procedures". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 48)
4/23 S J Res 21 Term Limits bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
9/26 SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
1/05 SP 620 Authorizes Legislature to Continue Meeting Electronically Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
1/03 SR 1 Amends Senate Ethics Rules Resolution Passed - Senate (47 - 2)
1/11 SR 106 Establishes Disapproval of Events of January 6 Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
2/18 SR 1120 Temporary Legislative Adjournment Resolution Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
1/14 SR 14 Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
1/11 SR 2 Establishes Redistricting Rules of Procedure Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 0)
3/11 SR 26 Authorizes the Senate Majority Leader to Sue the Governor Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
1/22 S Res 483 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
1/31 S Res 488 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
7/19 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)

Page 4 of 4
arrow_upward