Key Votes
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2021 | VT | JRH 2 | Extends an Apology to Individual Vermonters and Their Families Harmed as a Result of State Sanctioned Eugenic Policies and Practices | Joint Resolution Passed - House (146 - 0) |
| March 29, 2021 | SD | HB 1217 | Prohibits Athletes from Participating on Sports Teams that do not Match Their Birth Sex | Veto Override Failed - House (45 - 24) |
| March 25, 2021 | CO | SB 21-135 | Prohibits the Use of Certain Animals in Traveling Animal Acts | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 17, 2021 | KS | SB 208 | Prohibits Transgender Women and Girls from Participating in Women's Sports | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| March 16, 2021 | WI | SJR 20 | Establishes February 2021 as Black History Month and Honors Black Legislators | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (11 - 20) |
| March 16, 2021 | WI | SJR 11 | Extends Honors to Rush Limbaugh | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 10, 2021 | ME | LD 115 | Establishes a New Flag for the State of Maine | Bill Failed - House (57 - 91) |
| March 8, 2021 | SD | HB 1217 | Prohibits Athletes from Participating on Sports Teams that do not Match Their Birth Sex | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 2, 2021 | KS | HB 2264 | Authorizes College Athletes to Receive Compensation for the Use of their Likeness | Bill Passed - House (95 - 29) |
| Feb. 11, 2021 | ND | HB 1298 | Requires Transgender Athletes to Play Sports on Teams Made for Their Biological Sex | Bill Passed - House (65 - 26) |
| Feb. 11, 2021 | MS | HB 1030 | Requires Paying Student Athletes if Their Likeness is Used in Advertising | Bill Passed - House (93 - 19) |
| Jan. 27, 2021 | MT | HB 112 | Requires Student Athletes to Participate Under Sex Assigned at Birth | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| Jan. 6, 2021 | MS | HB 1 | Repeals the State Flag | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| Dec. 2, 2020 | OH | SB 334 | Establishes Juneteenth as a Paid State Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| Oct. 21, 2020 | LA | SB 77 | Establishes Regulations for Fantasy Sports Gambling | Bill Passed - House (72 - 15) |
| Oct. 2, 2020 | National | H Res 1154 | Condemning QAnon and rejecting the conspiracy theories it promotes | Bill Passed - House (371 - 18) |
| Sept. 25, 2020 | VA | HB 5052 | Establishes Juneteenth Day as a Legal Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| Sept. 22, 2020 | MI | SB 385 | Repeals Ticket-Scalping Ban | Bill Passed - House (91 - 14) |
| Sept. 9, 2020 | PA | HB 2787 | Authorizes Individual School Districts to Make Decisions Surrounding Activities and COVID-19 | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| Sept. 2, 2020 | PA | HB 2787 | Authorizes Individual School Districts to Make Decisions Surrounding Activities and COVID-19 | Bill Passed - House (155 - 47) |
| July 30, 2020 | NJ | S 19 | Establishes Juneteenth Day as a Public Holiday | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
| July 30, 2020 | NJ | S 971 | Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
| July 30, 2020 | NJ | S 971 | Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| July 30, 2020 | NJ | AR 178 | Requires the Removal of Confederate Statues From the Capitol | Resolution Passed - House (55 - 1) |
| July 28, 2020 | MA | S 2848 | Establishes a Commission to Revise the State Seal and Motto | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| July 22, 2020 | National | HR 7573 | To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to replace the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United States Capitol with a bust of Thurgood Marshall to be obtained by the Joint Committee on the Library and to remove certain statues from areas of the United States Capitol which are accessible to the public, to remove all statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in the United States Capitol, and for other purposes | Bill Passed - House (305 - 113) |
| July 8, 2020 | NC | SB 599 | Authorizes the Reopening of Bowling Alleys and Skating Rinks | Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| June 28, 2020 | MS | HB 1796 | Authorizes the Redesign of the Mississippi State Flag | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 14) |
| June 28, 2020 | MS | HB 1796 | Authorizes the Redesign of the Mississippi State Flag | Bill Passed - House (92 - 23) |
| June 26, 2020 | NC | SB 681 | Requires Credit in the Arts in Order to Graduate | Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 21) |
| June 26, 2020 | NC | SB 681 | Requires Credit in the Arts in Order to Graduate | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 9) |
| June 19, 2020 | VT | HR 21 | Alleges Donald Trump's Tweets are "Racist" and Recognizes Juneteenth | Bill Passed - House (128 - 17) |
| June 16, 2020 | NC | SB 599 | Authorizes the Reopening of Bowling Alleys and Skating Rinks | Bill Passed - House (68 - 52) |
| May 28, 2020 | LA | SB 178 | Authorizes Alcohol Delivery by Third Party Platforms | Bill Passed - House (87 - 13) |
| May 27, 2020 | MI | HB 5217 | Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes | Bill Passed - House (94 - 13) |
| May 7, 2020 | LA | HB 132 | Establishes Daylight Savings Time as the Standard Time Year-Round | Bill Passed - House (89 - 0) |
| April 22, 2020 | VA | SB 384 | Amends Sports Betting Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 29) |
| April 22, 2020 | VA | SB 384 | Amends Sports Betting Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| March 17, 2020 | MD | SB 1065 | Appropriates Funds to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | Bill Passed - House (103 - 29) |
| March 13, 2020 | FL | SB 646 | Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes | Bill Passed - House (98 - 14) |
| March 12, 2020 | WY | SF 134 | Authorizes Liquor Licenses for Events Conducted at Rodeo Arenas | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
| March 12, 2020 | WY | HB 44 | Requires the Observation of Mountain Daylight Time | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 13) |
| March 12, 2020 | NH | HB 1251 | Prohibits Transgender Students from Playing on a Female Sports Team | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (184 - 131) |
| March 11, 2020 | FL | HB 1213 | Requires Adding Ocoee Riots to School Curriculum | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
| March 11, 2020 | WY | HB 44 | Requires the Observation of Mountain Daylight Time | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| March 11, 2020 | WY | SF 134 | Authorizes Liquor Licenses for Events Conducted at Rodeo Arenas | Bill Passed - House (34 - 25) |
| March 10, 2020 | AL | HB 235 | Repeals Ban on Yoga Classes in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (84 - 17) |
| March 8, 2020 | VA | SB 183 | Authorizes Localities to Remove, Relocate, or Alter Monuments | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 44) |
| March 7, 2020 | VA | SB 183 | Authorizes Localities to Remove, Relocate, or Alter Monuments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 16) |
| March 6, 2020 | UT | HB 243 | Requires Warning Labels on Pornography | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6) |
| March 4, 2020 | CO | SB 20-123 | Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes | Bill Passed - House (55 - 9) |
| March 3, 2020 | RI | S 2326 | Establishes Film Production Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
| Feb. 20, 2020 | WI | AB 869 | Extends Bar Hours During Democratic National Convention | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| Feb. 18, 2020 | AZ | HB 2259 | Establishes a Victims of Communism Memorial Day | Bill Passed - House (45 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2020 | UT | HB 243 | Requires Warning Labels on Pornography | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| Feb. 11, 2020 | WV | SB 131 | Establishes the Tim Tebow Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Feb. 11, 2020 | National | HR 1980 | Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act | Bill Passed - House (374 - 37) |
| Feb. 6, 2020 | VA | HB 108 | Establishes Election Day as a State Holiday | Bill Passed - House (55 - 42) |
| Jan. 30, 2020 | MI | SB 385 | Repeals Ticket-Scalping Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Jan. 22, 2020 | VA | SB 318 | Reduces Number of Balloons that Can be Released per Hour | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Nov. 13, 2019 | MI | HB 4687 | Repeals Prohibition of Deer-Baiting | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Nov. 12, 2019 | WI | AJR 106 | Amends the State Capital Holiday Tree Name to the Christmas Tree | Bill Passed - House (64 - 30) |
| Nov. 5, 2019 | MI | HB 4687 | Repeals Prohibition of Deer-Baiting | Bill Passed - House (57 - 49) |
| Oct. 30, 2019 | PA | SB 147 | Establishes Hunting Regulations on Sundays | Bill Passed - House (144 - 54) |
| Oct. 30, 2019 | IL | HB 3904 | Authorizes Student Athletes to Receive Compensation for Use of Their Name, Image, or Likeness | Bill Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| Oct. 29, 2019 | National | H Res 296 | Affirming the United States record on the Armenian Genocide | Bill Passed - House (405 - 11) |
| Aug. 19, 2019 | CA | AB 467 | Requires Competitions Held on Public Lands to Offer Equal Prize Compensation Regardless of Gender | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
| July 23, 2019 | National | HR 1327 | Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2) |
| July 12, 2019 | National | HR 1327 | Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act | Bill Passed - House (402 - 12) |
| June 26, 2019 | PA | SB 147 | Establishes Hunting Regulations on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| June 18, 2019 | ME | LD 553 | Authorizes Sports Betting | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15) |
| June 14, 2019 | NY | S 5864 | Establishes the Television Diversity Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18) |
| June 12, 2019 | DE | SB 73 | Repeals Daylight Savings | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4) |
| June 11, 2019 | NY | S 1637 | Prohibits Possession of Certain Flamethrowers | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 13) |
| May 30, 2019 | ME | LD 1050 | Requires Education About African American History and the History of Genocide | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (87 - 54) |
| May 22, 2019 | CA | SB 206 | Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| 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) |
| May 9, 2019 | AK | HB 122 | Expands Funter Bay Marine Park to Include Historic Cemetery | Bill Passed - House (29 - 4) |
| May 6, 2019 | AZ | HCR 2009 | Classifies Pornography as a Public Health Crises | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| April 29, 2019 | CA | AB 467 | Requires Competitions Held on Public Lands to Offer Equal Prize Compensation Regardless of Gender | Bill Passed - House (74 - 0) |
| April 24, 2019 | MO | HB 923 | Authorizes Film Tax Credit Incentives | Bill Passed - House (84 - 38) |
| April 19, 2019 | WA | SB 5001 | Authorizes Composting of Human Remains | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| March 26, 2019 | SC | H 4243 | Authorizes Tax Incentives for Carolina Panthers Training Facilities | Bill Passed - House (90 - 25) |
| Feb. 25, 2019 | AZ | HCR 2009 | Classifies Pornography as a Public Health Crises | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| Dec. 21, 2018 | MI | HB 4926 | Authorizes Internet Gaming Licenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 35) |
| Oct. 3, 2018 | MI | HB 4224 | Repeals Ticket Scalping Ban at Sports Events | Bill Passed - House (71 - 36) |
| June 22, 2018 | PA | HB 864 | Amends Gaming and Gambling Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 29) |
| June 21, 2018 | NJ | S 1074 | Requires Public Access to Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 4) |
| June 20, 2018 | OH | HB 531 | Authorizes State Funds for Sports Event Bidding | Bill Passed - House (84 - 9) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | HB 4926 | Authorizes Internet Gaming Licenses | Bill Passed - House (68 - 40) |
| May 9, 2018 | LA | HB 484 | Authorizes Fantasy Sports Contests | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| May 2, 2018 | IL | SB 3249 | Requires LGBT History in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| April 23, 2018 | TN | HB 2381 | Authorizes 'Monument to the Unborn' | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 3) |
| April 19, 2018 | TN | HB 2381 | Authorizes 'Monument to the Unborn' | Bill Passed - House (63 - 15) |
| April 17, 2018 | LA | HB 484 | Authorizes Fantasy Sports Contests | Bill Passed - House (67 - 23) |
| April 12, 2018 | NJ | S 122 | Authorizes Tax Credits for Film Production | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| April 12, 2018 | NJ | S 122 | Authorizes Tax Credits for Film Production | Bill Passed - House (59 - 14) |
| April 9, 2018 | TN | SJR 141 | Authorizes Relocation of President James K. Polk's Body | Bill Passed - House (51 - 37) |
| April 4, 2018 | TN | SB 1631 | Prohibits Renting Hotel Rooms for Less than 7 Hours | Bill Failed - House (38 - 45) |