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
June 29, 2017 National HR 3003 No Sanctuary for Criminals Act Bill Passed - House (228 - 195)
June 28, 2017 National HR 1215 Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
June 1, 2017 CA AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
May 31, 2017 IL SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
May 31, 2017 IL SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
May 1, 2017 OR HB 2597 Increases Penalties for Distracted Driving Bill Passed - House (46 - 13)
April 27, 2017 NC HB 330 Limits Liability for Motorists Involved in Accidents with Protesters Bill Passed - House (67 - 48)
April 20, 2017 WA SB 5037 Classifies 4th DUI as a Felony Bill Passed - House (85 - 11)
April 13, 2017 AZ SB 1236 Establishes Regulations for Statewide Initiatives and Referendum Petitions Bill Passed - House (35 - 23)
April 10, 2017 NC H 467 Limits Penalties for Agricultural Operations Bill Passed - House (68 - 47)
April 4, 2017 AL SB 16 Prohibits Judicial Override of Sentencing Decisions Bill Passed - House (78 - 19)
March 20, 2017 IA HF 539 Reduces the Deadline to File Discrimination Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (58 - 39)
March 16, 2017 IA HF 518 Requires Certain Restrictions Regarding Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - House (55 - 38)
March 10, 2017 National HR 720 Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (230 - 188)
March 9, 2017 National HR 985 Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (220 - 201)
March 7, 2017 WA HB 1371 Prohibits Texting While Driving Bill Passed - House (52 - 45)
March 2, 2017 UT HB 259 Authorizes the Discharge of Firearm for Self-Defense Bill Passed - House (53 - 15)
March 2, 2017 ID HB 202 Amends Civil Asset Forfeiture Law Bill Passed - House (58 - 10)
Feb. 23, 2017 UT HB 99 Amends Bigamy Laws Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
Feb. 6, 2017 ND HB 1193 Classifies Economic Harm as a Class C Felony Bill Passed - House (72 - 19)
Feb. 6, 2017 ND HB 1426 Classifies Riots Involving More than 100 Individuals as a Class B Felony Bill Passed - House (63 - 27)
Feb. 6, 2017 ND HB 1304 Prohibits Wearing a Mask During the Commission of a Crime Bill Passed - House (69 - 22)
Feb. 6, 2017 ND HB 1293 Authorizes Law Enforcement to Issue Citations for Trespassing Bill Passed - House (85 - 6)
Feb. 6, 2017 MS HB 645 Classifies Killing of First Responders as First-Degree Murder Bill Passed - House (85 - 31)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/29 HR 3003 No Sanctuary for Criminals Act Bill Passed - House (228 - 195)
6/28 HR 1215 Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
6/01 AB 42 Amends Money Bail Procedures Bill Failed - House (35 - 37)
5/31 SB 1761 Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense Bill Passed - House
5/31 SB 639 Authorizes Drug Crime Prosecutions Across State Lines Bill Passed - House (105 - 2)
5/01 HB 2597 Increases Penalties for Distracted Driving Bill Passed - House (46 - 13)
4/27 HB 330 Limits Liability for Motorists Involved in Accidents with Protesters Bill Passed - House (67 - 48)
4/20 SB 5037 Classifies 4th DUI as a Felony Bill Passed - House (85 - 11)
4/13 SB 1236 Establishes Regulations for Statewide Initiatives and Referendum Petitions Bill Passed - House (35 - 23)
4/10 H 467 Limits Penalties for Agricultural Operations Bill Passed - House (68 - 47)
4/04 SB 16 Prohibits Judicial Override of Sentencing Decisions Bill Passed - House (78 - 19)
3/20 HF 539 Reduces the Deadline to File Discrimination Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (58 - 39)
3/16 HF 518 Requires Certain Restrictions Regarding Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - House (55 - 38)
3/10 HR 720 Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (230 - 188)
3/09 HR 985 Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (220 - 201)
3/07 HB 1371 Prohibits Texting While Driving Bill Passed - House (52 - 45)
3/02 HB 259 Authorizes the Discharge of Firearm for Self-Defense Bill Passed - House (53 - 15)
3/02 HB 202 Amends Civil Asset Forfeiture Law Bill Passed - House (58 - 10)
2/23 HB 99 Amends Bigamy Laws Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
2/06 HB 1193 Classifies Economic Harm as a Class C Felony Bill Passed - House (72 - 19)
2/06 HB 1426 Classifies Riots Involving More than 100 Individuals as a Class B Felony Bill Passed - House (63 - 27)
2/06 HB 1304 Prohibits Wearing a Mask During the Commission of a Crime Bill Passed - House (69 - 22)
2/06 HB 1293 Authorizes Law Enforcement to Issue Citations for Trespassing Bill Passed - House (85 - 6)
2/06 HB 645 Classifies Killing of First Responders as First-Degree Murder Bill Passed - House (85 - 31)

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