Key Votes

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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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 21, 2024 IA SF 2331 Amends and Modernizes Public Notice Requirements to Increase Government Transparency Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9)
Feb. 20, 2024 WI AB 476 Repeals Governor Appointment Powers for Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Attorney General Vacancies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Feb. 20, 2024 WI AB 476 Repeals Governor Appointment Powers for Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Attorney General Vacancies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Feb. 20, 2024 UT HB 11 Limits the Use of "Nonfunctional" Grass in the Construction of New Government Buildings Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2)
Feb. 19, 2024 IA SF 2311 Authorizes State Agencies to Outsource Their Annual Audits Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
Feb. 16, 2024 UT HJR 19 Establishes the Legislature's support of Sen. Mike Lee's HOUSES Act Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
Feb. 14, 2024 NM HB 182 Amends the State Campaign Reporting Act to Require Disclaimers on "Materially Deceptive Media" Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Feb. 13, 2024 WI AB 572 Establishes a Process for Notifying Families Whose Relatives Living in Retirement Communities Intend to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Feb. 13, 2024 WI SB 488 Establishes the 2024 State Legislative District Map Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
Feb. 9, 2024 NM SB 15 Requires State Review of All Healthcare Mergers, Acquisitions, and Other Material Changes Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15)
Feb. 8, 2024 AZ HB 2785 Requires the Department of Administration to Coordinate with State Agencies Concerning Elections Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 2)
Feb. 8, 2024 AL SB 1 Prohibits Assistance with Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
Feb. 8, 2024 MD SB 575 Prohibits Public Release of Judges Private or Personal Information Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 1)
Feb. 6, 2024 UT SB 150 Authorizes Religious Freedom for All Government, Business, and Corporate Employees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
Feb. 5, 2024 SD SB 119 Authorizes Native Americans to Register to Vote Using Tribal Identification Cards in South Dakota Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 3)
Feb. 5, 2024 NE LB 287 Repeal and Eliminate Obsolete Provisions Relating to the 2020 Federal Decennial Census and Other Changes Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Jan. 30, 2024 NM SB 5 Prohibits Fireams at State Drop Boxes and Polling Places Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 16)
Jan. 26, 2024 NE LB 541 Authorizes Partisan Elections For Public Power Districts Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 16)
Jan. 26, 2024 KY SB 80 Prohibits College ID's as Valid Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
Jan. 25, 2024 UT HB 261 Repeals Diversity Training Programs Across All Public Education and Government Agencies in the State Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
Jan. 25, 2024 GA HB 30 Defines "Antisemitism" into State Law Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 6)
Jan. 25, 2024 MI SB 516 Authorizes Evidence of a Defendant's Prior Commission of Commercial Sexual Activity, Human Trafficking, or Prostitution be Admissible in Court Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
Jan. 25, 2024 MI SB 517 Prohibits a Victim or Witness Necessary for Prosecution in a Human Trafficking Case from being Excused from Testifying if Evidence would Degrade or Incriminate Them Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
Jan. 25, 2024 MI SB 515 Authorizes a Statement Concerning Prostitution or Human Trafficking to be Admissible as Evidence Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
Jan. 23, 2024 WI AB 415 Establishes a 5-Member Advisory Commission to Examine State Legislative District Maps Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/21 SF 2331 Amends and Modernizes Public Notice Requirements to Increase Government Transparency Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9)
2/20 AB 476 Repeals Governor Appointment Powers for Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Attorney General Vacancies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
2/20 AB 476 Repeals Governor Appointment Powers for Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Attorney General Vacancies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
2/20 HB 11 Limits the Use of "Nonfunctional" Grass in the Construction of New Government Buildings Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2)
2/19 SF 2311 Authorizes State Agencies to Outsource Their Annual Audits Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
2/16 HJR 19 Establishes the Legislature's support of Sen. Mike Lee's HOUSES Act Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
2/14 HB 182 Amends the State Campaign Reporting Act to Require Disclaimers on "Materially Deceptive Media" Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
2/13 AB 572 Establishes a Process for Notifying Families Whose Relatives Living in Retirement Communities Intend to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
2/13 SB 488 Establishes the 2024 State Legislative District Map Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
2/09 SB 15 Requires State Review of All Healthcare Mergers, Acquisitions, and Other Material Changes Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15)
2/08 HB 2785 Requires the Department of Administration to Coordinate with State Agencies Concerning Elections Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 2)
2/08 SB 1 Prohibits Assistance with Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
2/08 SB 575 Prohibits Public Release of Judges Private or Personal Information Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 1)
2/06 SB 150 Authorizes Religious Freedom for All Government, Business, and Corporate Employees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
2/05 SB 119 Authorizes Native Americans to Register to Vote Using Tribal Identification Cards in South Dakota Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 3)
2/05 LB 287 Repeal and Eliminate Obsolete Provisions Relating to the 2020 Federal Decennial Census and Other Changes Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
1/30 SB 5 Prohibits Fireams at State Drop Boxes and Polling Places Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 16)
1/26 LB 541 Authorizes Partisan Elections For Public Power Districts Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 16)
1/26 SB 80 Prohibits College ID's as Valid Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
1/25 HB 261 Repeals Diversity Training Programs Across All Public Education and Government Agencies in the State Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
1/25 HB 30 Defines "Antisemitism" into State Law Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 6)
1/25 SB 516 Authorizes Evidence of a Defendant's Prior Commission of Commercial Sexual Activity, Human Trafficking, or Prostitution be Admissible in Court Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
1/25 SB 517 Prohibits a Victim or Witness Necessary for Prosecution in a Human Trafficking Case from being Excused from Testifying if Evidence would Degrade or Incriminate Them Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
1/25 SB 515 Authorizes a Statement Concerning Prostitution or Human Trafficking to be Admissible as Evidence Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
1/23 AB 415 Establishes a 5-Member Advisory Commission to Examine State Legislative District Maps Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 14)

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