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 17, 2019 NY A 3675 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29)
June 17, 2019 NY S 2387 Requires Menstrual Product Packaging List Ingredients Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 11)
June 17, 2019 ME LD 1451 Requires Public Employers to Provide Bargaining Agents Access to Certain Member Information and Other Rights Bill Passed - House (87 - 57)
June 14, 2019 NY S 4203 Authorizes Foster Care Adoptees to Have Contact with Their Parents Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 16)
June 14, 2019 NY S 5864 Establishes the Television Diversity Tax Credit Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
June 12, 2019 NY A 3675 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (87 - 61)
June 11, 2019 NY S 45 Establishes Protections for LGBTQ Veterans Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
June 11, 2019 NY S 45 Establishes Protections for LGBTQ Veterans Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
June 11, 2019 National H Res 430 Authorizing the Committee on The Judiciary to Initiate or Intervene in Judicial Proceedings to Enforce Certain Subpoenas and For Other Purposes Bill Passed - House (229 - 191)
June 11, 2019 NY S 2071 Repeals Prohibitions on Surrogacy and In Vitro Fertilization Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21)
June 11, 2019 NY S 2071 Repeals Prohibitions on Surrogacy and In Vitro Fertilization Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21)
June 10, 2019 ME LD 1412 Amends the Laws Governing the Collective Bargaining Rights of Employees of School Management and Leadership Centers "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13)
June 10, 2019 ME LD 777 Establishes a Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial and Ethnic Populations "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14)
June 10, 2019 ME LD 1282 Establishes a "Green New Deal" Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
June 6, 2019 ME LD 1524 Prohibits Wage Theft and Establishes Employer Accountability Standards "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (86 - 54)
June 6, 2019 OR HB 2016 Establishes a Worker's Right to Participate in Labor Unions (17 - 11)
June 6, 2019 ME LD 1620 Exempts Certain Salary or Wage Increases From a Cap on Earnings when Calculating Retirement Benefits for Public Employees Bill Passed - House (86 - 53)
June 5, 2019 NH SB 290 Amends Medicaid Work Requirements "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (207 - 143)
June 5, 2019 NH SB 279 Requires Health Insurers Cover Fertility Treatment "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (210 - 147)
June 5, 2019 NH SB 235 Establishes a Human Resources Office to Investigate Sexual Harassment Complaints in Legislature "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (207 - 139)
June 5, 2019 WI AB 179 Establishes Requirements for Abortions Resulting in Premature Birth Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
June 5, 2019 ME LD 1524 Prohibits Wage Theft and Establishes Employer Accountability Standards "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14)
June 5, 2019 ME LD 1620 Exempts Certain Salary or Wage Increases From a Cap on Earnings when Calculating Retirement Benefits for Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
June 5, 2019 OH HB 80 Amends Specific Sections of Ohio's Worker's Compensation Law Bill Passed - House (56 - 38)
June 5, 2019 ME LD 1282 Establishes a "Green New Deal" Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
June 4, 2019 National HR 6 American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (237 - 187)
June 2, 2019 LA SB 172 Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - House (67 - 28)
June 1, 2019 IL HB 2625 Requires Subcircuit Judicial Boundary Lines be Redrawn Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 46)
May 31, 2019 CT SB 1 Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill Passed - House (79 - 69)
May 30, 2019 AL HB 225 Prohibits Pay Discrimination Based on Sex and Race Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
May 30, 2019 IL HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 22)
May 30, 2019 NH HB 608 Expands Definition of Gender Discrimination "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8)
May 30, 2019 NH HB 651 Authorizes the Use of Campaign Funds for Child Care Expenses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 9)
May 30, 2019 ME LD 1324 Establishes Committee for Universal Basic Income System "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (77 - 62)
May 30, 2019 CT SB 992 Limits Cooperation Between Local Law Enforcement and Federal Immigration Agencies Bill Passed - House (79 - 61)
May 30, 2019 IL HB 1637 Establishes the Keep Illinois Families Together Act Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19)
May 29, 2019 IL HB 3534 Establishes a Non-Binary Gender Option on IDs Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16)
May 29, 2019 ME LD 1324 Establishes Committee for Universal Basic Income System "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13)
May 29, 2019 CA SB 29 Expands Medi-Cal Program Eligibility to Undocumented Immigrants Ages 19-25 or 65 and Older Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
May 28, 2019 CA AB 4 Authorizes Medi-Cal Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (51 - 17)
May 28, 2019 CA AB 493 Specifies Biennial LGBTQ Teacher Training be Encouraged Bill Passed - House (61 - 0)
May 28, 2019 CA AB 35 Requires Reporting on Employee Blood Level Testing for Lead Bill Passed - House (49 - 22)
May 27, 2019 AZ SB 1558 Increases Stipends for State Legislators Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
May 27, 2019 IL HB 1637 Establishes the Keep Illinois Families Together Act Bill Passed - House (67 - 50)
May 27, 2019 AZ SB 1558 Increases Stipends for State Legislators Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
May 24, 2019 NV AB 132 Prohibits Employment Discrimination for Positive Marijuana Drug Tests Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 8)
May 24, 2019 CA AB 1593 Authorizes Certain Tax Breaks for Undocumented Families Bill Passed - House (55 - 18)
May 23, 2019 TX HB 16 Establishes Requirements for Abortions Resulting in Premature Birth Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 57)
May 23, 2019 TX HB 888 Increases Penalties for Misrepresenting a Child's Identify at a Port of Entry Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 43)
May 23, 2019 NH HB 696 Establishes a Protective Order for Vulnerable Adults "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (13 - 10)
May 23, 2019 NH SB 165 Authorizes Solar Energy Development in Low-Income Communities "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (229 - 113)
May 23, 2019 IL HB 2625 Requires Subcircuit Judicial Boundary Lines be Redrawn Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19)
May 23, 2019 IL HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17)
May 23, 2019 NV SB 224 Authorizes Confidentiality Requirements for Public Employee Retirement Records Bill Passed - House (24 - 16)
May 23, 2019 IL SB 1610 Amends Immigrant Deportation Regulations Bill Passed - House (84 - 32)
May 23, 2019 OR HB 2023 Requires Inclusive Education on Certain Classifications of Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 5)
May 23, 2019 CA SB 132 Authorizes Inmate Housing According to Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
May 23, 2019 CA SB 329 Prohibits Discrimination Against Section 8 Housing Renters Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
May 22, 2019 TX HB 1528 Requires Family Violence Convictions be Reported to the Department of Public Safety Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 39)
May 22, 2019 CA AB 175 Amends Foster Care Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (59 - 8)
May 22, 2019 CA AB 175 Amends Foster Care Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (59 - 8)
May 22, 2019 CA AB 163 Requires State Oversight of Unaccompanied Undocumented Minors Bill Passed - House (60 - 5)
May 22, 2019 CT SB 1 Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
May 21, 2019 IL HB 253 Classifies University Graduate and Research Assistants as "Employees" Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19)
May 21, 2019 ME LD 1025 Prohibits the Practice of Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
May 21, 2019 NY S 4572 Establishes Parameters for Exemptions to Presidential Pardons Bill Passed - House (91 - 54)
May 21, 2019 CA SB 142 Requires Additional Lactation Accommodations for Employees Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
May 20, 2019 SC H 4243 Authorizes Tax Incentives for Carolina Panthers Training Facilities Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 17)
May 20, 2019 TX HB 2911 Amends Election Law to Determine Voter Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
May 20, 2019 LA SB 172 Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
May 20, 2019 OR HB 3076 Establishes Standards for Non-Profit Hospitals Bill Passed - House (38 - 21)
May 17, 2019 National HR 5 Equality Act Bill Passed - House (236 - 173)
May 17, 2019 National HR 5 Equality Act Bill Passed - House (236 - 173)
May 16, 2019 National PN 526 Nomination of Jeffrey Rosen to be Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice (52 - 45)
May 16, 2019 IL HB 2040 Prohibits Private Prisons and Civil Detention Centers Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/17 A 3675 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29)
6/17 S 2387 Requires Menstrual Product Packaging List Ingredients Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 11)
6/17 LD 1451 Requires Public Employers to Provide Bargaining Agents Access to Certain Member Information and Other Rights Bill Passed - House (87 - 57)
6/14 S 4203 Authorizes Foster Care Adoptees to Have Contact with Their Parents Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 16)
6/14 S 5864 Establishes the Television Diversity Tax Credit Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
6/12 A 3675 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (87 - 61)
6/11 S 45 Establishes Protections for LGBTQ Veterans Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
6/11 S 45 Establishes Protections for LGBTQ Veterans Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
6/11 H Res 430 Authorizing the Committee on The Judiciary to Initiate or Intervene in Judicial Proceedings to Enforce Certain Subpoenas and For Other Purposes Bill Passed - House (229 - 191)
6/11 S 2071 Repeals Prohibitions on Surrogacy and In Vitro Fertilization Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21)
6/11 S 2071 Repeals Prohibitions on Surrogacy and In Vitro Fertilization Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21)
6/10 LD 1412 Amends the Laws Governing the Collective Bargaining Rights of Employees of School Management and Leadership Centers "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13)
6/10 LD 777 Establishes a Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial and Ethnic Populations "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14)
6/10 LD 1282 Establishes a "Green New Deal" Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
6/06 LD 1524 Prohibits Wage Theft and Establishes Employer Accountability Standards "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (86 - 54)
6/06 HB 2016 Establishes a Worker's Right to Participate in Labor Unions (17 - 11)
6/06 LD 1620 Exempts Certain Salary or Wage Increases From a Cap on Earnings when Calculating Retirement Benefits for Public Employees Bill Passed - House (86 - 53)
6/05 SB 290 Amends Medicaid Work Requirements "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (207 - 143)
6/05 SB 279 Requires Health Insurers Cover Fertility Treatment "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (210 - 147)
6/05 SB 235 Establishes a Human Resources Office to Investigate Sexual Harassment Complaints in Legislature "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (207 - 139)
6/05 AB 179 Establishes Requirements for Abortions Resulting in Premature Birth Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
6/05 LD 1524 Prohibits Wage Theft and Establishes Employer Accountability Standards "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14)
6/05 LD 1620 Exempts Certain Salary or Wage Increases From a Cap on Earnings when Calculating Retirement Benefits for Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
6/05 HB 80 Amends Specific Sections of Ohio's Worker's Compensation Law Bill Passed - House (56 - 38)
6/05 LD 1282 Establishes a "Green New Deal" Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
6/04 HR 6 American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (237 - 187)
6/02 SB 172 Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - House (67 - 28)
6/01 HB 2625 Requires Subcircuit Judicial Boundary Lines be Redrawn Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 46)
5/31 SB 1 Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill Passed - House (79 - 69)
5/30 HB 225 Prohibits Pay Discrimination Based on Sex and Race Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
5/30 HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 22)
5/30 HB 608 Expands Definition of Gender Discrimination "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8)
5/30 HB 651 Authorizes the Use of Campaign Funds for Child Care Expenses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 9)
5/30 LD 1324 Establishes Committee for Universal Basic Income System "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (77 - 62)
5/30 SB 992 Limits Cooperation Between Local Law Enforcement and Federal Immigration Agencies Bill Passed - House (79 - 61)
5/30 HB 1637 Establishes the Keep Illinois Families Together Act Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19)
5/29 HB 3534 Establishes a Non-Binary Gender Option on IDs Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16)
5/29 LD 1324 Establishes Committee for Universal Basic Income System "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13)
5/29 SB 29 Expands Medi-Cal Program Eligibility to Undocumented Immigrants Ages 19-25 or 65 and Older Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
5/28 AB 4 Authorizes Medi-Cal Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (51 - 17)
5/28 AB 493 Specifies Biennial LGBTQ Teacher Training be Encouraged Bill Passed - House (61 - 0)
5/28 AB 35 Requires Reporting on Employee Blood Level Testing for Lead Bill Passed - House (49 - 22)
5/27 SB 1558 Increases Stipends for State Legislators Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
5/27 HB 1637 Establishes the Keep Illinois Families Together Act Bill Passed - House (67 - 50)
5/27 SB 1558 Increases Stipends for State Legislators Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
5/24 AB 132 Prohibits Employment Discrimination for Positive Marijuana Drug Tests Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 8)
5/24 AB 1593 Authorizes Certain Tax Breaks for Undocumented Families Bill Passed - House (55 - 18)
5/23 HB 16 Establishes Requirements for Abortions Resulting in Premature Birth Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 57)
5/23 HB 888 Increases Penalties for Misrepresenting a Child's Identify at a Port of Entry Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 43)
5/23 HB 696 Establishes a Protective Order for Vulnerable Adults "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (13 - 10)
5/23 SB 165 Authorizes Solar Energy Development in Low-Income Communities "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (229 - 113)
5/23 HB 2625 Requires Subcircuit Judicial Boundary Lines be Redrawn Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19)
5/23 HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17)
5/23 SB 224 Authorizes Confidentiality Requirements for Public Employee Retirement Records Bill Passed - House (24 - 16)
5/23 SB 1610 Amends Immigrant Deportation Regulations Bill Passed - House (84 - 32)
5/23 HB 2023 Requires Inclusive Education on Certain Classifications of Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 5)
5/23 SB 132 Authorizes Inmate Housing According to Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
5/23 SB 329 Prohibits Discrimination Against Section 8 Housing Renters Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
5/22 HB 1528 Requires Family Violence Convictions be Reported to the Department of Public Safety Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 39)
5/22 AB 175 Amends Foster Care Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (59 - 8)
5/22 AB 175 Amends Foster Care Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (59 - 8)
5/22 AB 163 Requires State Oversight of Unaccompanied Undocumented Minors Bill Passed - House (60 - 5)
5/22 SB 1 Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
5/21 HB 253 Classifies University Graduate and Research Assistants as "Employees" Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19)
5/21 LD 1025 Prohibits the Practice of Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
5/21 S 4572 Establishes Parameters for Exemptions to Presidential Pardons Bill Passed - House (91 - 54)
5/21 SB 142 Requires Additional Lactation Accommodations for Employees Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
5/20 H 4243 Authorizes Tax Incentives for Carolina Panthers Training Facilities Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 17)
5/20 HB 2911 Amends Election Law to Determine Voter Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
5/20 SB 172 Requires Individuals to be At Least 16 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
5/20 HB 3076 Establishes Standards for Non-Profit Hospitals Bill Passed - House (38 - 21)
5/17 HR 5 Equality Act Bill Passed - House (236 - 173)
5/17 HR 5 Equality Act Bill Passed - House (236 - 173)
5/16 PN 526 Nomination of Jeffrey Rosen to be Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice (52 - 45)
5/16 HB 2040 Prohibits Private Prisons and Civil Detention Centers Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)

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