Key Votes
State
Issue
Year
Chamber
Keyword Search
About the Selection and Descriptions of Key Votes
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:
- The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
- The vote should be clear for any person to understand
- The vote has received media attention
- The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 14, 2023 | ME | LD 1718 | Increases Support for Maines Essential Workers by Increasing Higher Education Program Funding | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13) |
| July 6, 2023 | ME | LD 1756 | Expands Employee's Freedom of Association and Speech in the Workplace | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 9) |
| April 11, 2006 | ME | LD 235 | Minimum Wage Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| April 2, 2019 | ME | LD 278 | Prohibits Employers from Basing Wages on Employee's Salary History | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| May 19, 2021 | ME | LD 52 | Authorizes Additional Educational Policies to be Subjects of Collective Bargaining Negotiations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| June 18, 2021 | ME | LD 677 | Amends Law Regarding Public Sector Labor Relations | (20 - 13) |
| Sept. 26, 2019 | National | PN 1099 | Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor | (53 - 44) |
| Sept. 25, 2019 | National | PN 1099 | Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor | Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 42) |
| July 20, 2021 | National | PN 126 | Nomination of Jennifer Abruzzo as General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 50) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | National | PN 1351 | Craig Becker, Member of the National Labor Relations Board | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 33) |
| March 22, 2021 | National | PN 78-23 | Nomination of Martin Walsh as Secretary of Labor | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 29) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | ID | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| Feb. 4, 2011 | ID | S 1007 | Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| March 30, 2023 | VT | S 102 | Expands Rights to Collectively Bargain to Agricultural and Domestic Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | ID | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| April 16, 2009 | ID | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| March 22, 2023 | ID | S 1167 | Limits the Scope of the Post-Secondary Career Initiatives Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 28, 2023 | ID | S 1212 | Appropriates $5 Million for the Postsecondary Career Initiatives Plan for Fiscal Year 2024 | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | ID | S 1393 | Non-Compete Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Jan. 5, 2006 | NJ | S 1412 | Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1447 | Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| March 27, 2014 | NJ | S 1869 | Extends Salary Limits for Public Safety Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| June 18, 2009 | MA | S 2087 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | RI | S 2112 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
| March 28, 2024 | RI | S 2121 | Increases Eligible Benefits and Pay to Employees on Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| Nov. 18, 2009 | MA | S 2210 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| June 1, 2010 | NY | S 2311D | Labor Standards for Domestic Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 28) |
| April 10, 2007 | SC | S 332 | Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| March 7, 2024 | National | S 3853 | A bill to extend the period for filing claims under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and to provide for compensation under such Act for claims relating to Manhattan Project waste, and to improve compensation for workers involved in uranium mining. | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| Dec. 8, 2010 | National | S 3991 | Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43) |
| July 12, 1994 | National | S 55 | Striker Replacement | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
| May 27, 2009 | RI | S 659 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| Jan. 8, 2024 | NJ | S 723 | Establishes a Domestic Bill of Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| May 10, 2010 | NY | S 7777 | Emergency Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| May 17, 2010 | NY | S 7846 | Emergency Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| June 1, 2022 | NY | S 8922 | Establishes Worker Protections for Warehouse Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 18) |
| March 21, 2001 | National | S Amdt 134 | Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | National | S Amdt 14 | Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| Aug. 23, 2018 | National | S Amdt 3967 | Senator Rand Paul's Amendment to H.R. 6157 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 48) |
| July 10, 1996 | National | S Amdt 4438 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 38) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | WI | SB 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Feb. 12, 2016 | WV | SB 1 | Prohibits Employers from Requiring Union Membership | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Feb. 5, 2016 | WV | SB 1 | Prohibits Employers from Requiring Union Membership | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Jan. 21, 2016 | WV | SB 1 | Prohibits Employers from Requiring Union Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| March 20, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 22) |
| Feb. 7, 2019 | IL | SB 1 | Increases Minimum Wage to $15 | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 18) |
| Jan. 19, 2011 | NH | SB 1 | Repeal of Automatic Continuation Requirement for Public Employee Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
| Feb. 1, 2010 | CO | SB 1 | Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 31, 2011 | CA | SB 104 | Labor Representatives | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| June 1, 2006 | LA | SB 106 | Labor Unions Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 26) |
| June 22, 2006 | PA | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| Jan. 19, 2017 | NH | SB 11 | Prohibits Collective Bargaining Agreements That Require Employees to Join A Labor Union | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 11) |
| Feb. 22, 2021 | WV | SB 11 | Prohibits Work Stoppages or Strikes by Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Feb. 12, 2010 | NM | SB 112 | Authorizing Severance Tax Bonds and Allocating Proceeds | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 2, 2011 | TN | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Dec. 6, 2012 | MI | SB 116 | Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| June 1, 2006 | CA | SB 1162 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| Nov. 28, 2018 | MI | SB 1175 | Amends Laws Regarding State Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Feb. 16, 2015 | NV | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| May 11, 2010 | CO | SB 12 | Increasing Penalties for Worker's Compensation Violations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| March 28, 2008 | CO | SB 122 | Wage Transparency Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | SB 122 | Wage Transparency Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | MI | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| April 14, 2010 | MI | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Aug. 19, 2015 | IL | SB 1229 | Establishes Arbitration Procedure For Labor Disputes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
| May 30, 2015 | IL | SB 1229 | Establishes Arbitration Procedure For Labor Disputes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 17) |
| Oct. 25, 2021 | WI | SB 125 | Extends Tax Benefits to Provide Tuition Tax Breaks for Apprentices in Trade Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| March 30, 2017 | TX | SB 13 | Amends Provisions Regarding Payroll Deductions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SB 130 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |