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 1 of 7
results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
April 18, 2018 VT H 333 Requires Gender-Neutral Bathrooms Bill Passed - Senate
Jan. 3, 2018 NH HB 372 Amends Definition of Residency for Voting Purposes "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
Jan. 18, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Jan. 18, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
March 3, 2018 WA SB 5722 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
Jan. 19, 2018 WA SB 5722 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16)
Jan. 19, 2018 WA SB 5766 Requires School Districts to Adopt Transgender Student Policies and Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
Jan. 29, 2018 VA SB 192 Authorizes State to Deduct Previous TANF Benefits from Lottery Winnings Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
March 9, 2018 WV HB 4006 Repeals Department of Education and Arts Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
March 15, 2018 KS HB 2042 Authorizes Individuals Aged 18-20 to Obtain a Concealed Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Feb. 1, 2018 MD SB 120 Authorizes Mutual-Consent Divorce for Parents without Year Separation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
Jan. 24, 2018 National PN 1341 Nomination of Samuel Dale Brownback to be Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Nomination Confirmed - Senate (50 - 49)
Jan. 24, 2018 National PN 1341 Nomination of Samuel Dale Brownback to be Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
March 6, 2018 MS HB 1510 Prohibits Abortion After 15 Weeks of Pregnancy Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
March 6, 2018 VA HB 1257 Prohibits the Establishment of Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
April 19, 2018 NH HB 587 Prohibits Providing Conversion Therapy to Minors "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
March 7, 2018 MS HB 1083 Authorizes Concealed Carry on Public Property Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1955 Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1955 Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1948 Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1948 Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Feb. 22, 2018 OR HB 4145 Prohibits Convicted Stalkers from Possessing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
Feb. 22, 2018 OR HB 4145 Prohibits Convicted Stalkers from Possessing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1958 Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1958 Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/18 H 333 Requires Gender-Neutral Bathrooms Bill Passed - Senate
1/03 HB 372 Amends Definition of Residency for Voting Purposes "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
1/18 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
1/18 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
3/03 SB 5722 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
1/19 SB 5722 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16)
1/19 SB 5766 Requires School Districts to Adopt Transgender Student Policies and Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
1/29 SB 192 Authorizes State to Deduct Previous TANF Benefits from Lottery Winnings Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
3/09 HB 4006 Repeals Department of Education and Arts Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
3/15 HB 2042 Authorizes Individuals Aged 18-20 to Obtain a Concealed Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
2/01 SB 120 Authorizes Mutual-Consent Divorce for Parents without Year Separation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
1/24 PN 1341 Nomination of Samuel Dale Brownback to be Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Nomination Confirmed - Senate (50 - 49)
1/24 PN 1341 Nomination of Samuel Dale Brownback to be Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
3/06 HB 1510 Prohibits Abortion After 15 Weeks of Pregnancy Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
3/06 HB 1257 Prohibits the Establishment of Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
4/19 HB 587 Prohibits Providing Conversion Therapy to Minors "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
3/07 HB 1083 Authorizes Concealed Carry on Public Property Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18)
2/15 S Amdt 1955 Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
2/15 S Amdt 1955 Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
2/15 S Amdt 1948 Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
2/15 S Amdt 1948 Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
2/22 HB 4145 Prohibits Convicted Stalkers from Possessing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
2/22 HB 4145 Prohibits Convicted Stalkers from Possessing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
2/15 S Amdt 1958 Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
2/15 S Amdt 1958 Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)

Page 1 of 7
arrow_upward