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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 20, 2021 NJ S 2834 Requires Culturally Responsive Training for Teaching Candidates Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
Dec. 8, 2021 OH HB 29 Authorizes Sports Betting in Ohio Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 1)
Nov. 9, 2021 PA SB 565 Expands Concealed Carry Laws Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Nov. 9, 2021 PA SB 448 Authorizes Municipalities and Counties to be Sued for Gun Ordinances Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
Nov. 8, 2021 WI SB 585 Requires Schools to Provide Statistics Relating to On-Campus Crime Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Oct. 28, 2021 IL HB 3512 Amends Criminal Justice Law Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 17)
Oct. 26, 2021 IL HB 370 Repeals the Parental Notice of Abortion Act Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
Oct. 26, 2021 PA SB 814 Classifies Fleeing an Officer Attempting to Arrest and Injuring a Police Dog as a Crime Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14)
Oct. 26, 2021 PA SB 814 Increases Penalties For Fleeing the Police on Foot Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
Oct. 20, 2021 OH SB 185 Prohibits Local Governments from Confiscating Firearms During Declared Emergencies Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Oct. 6, 2021 NC HB 761 Establishes Police Vehicle and Equipment Protection Act Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
Oct. 4, 2021 AR SB 732 Prohibits the Process Known as "Vaccine Coercion" Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
Oct. 1, 2021 AL HB 2 Increases the Number of Inmates who Could be Released Before the End of Their Sentence Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
Sept. 10, 2021 CA SB 586 Authorizes California's Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to Strip an Officer's Certification Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 9)
Sept. 10, 2021 CA SB 715 Extends Restrictions on Gun Control Loopholes by Requiring Verification on Hunting Licenses Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 9)
Sept. 10, 2021 CA SB 715 Extends Restrictions on Gun Control Loopholes by Requiring Verification on Hunting Licenses Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 9)
Sept. 10, 2021 CA SB 98 Establishes Journalists Can Cover Events in Areas that Have Been Closed by Law Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
Sept. 10, 2021 CA SB 805 Authorizes Low-Cost Payroll and Paymaster Services for Nonprofit Performing Arts Organizations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
Sept. 10, 2021 CA SB 98 Establishes Journalists Can Cover Events in Areas that Have Been Closed by Law Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
Sept. 9, 2021 CA AB 481 Requires Law Enforcement Agencies Receive Approval Before Acquiring Military-Grade Equipment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
Sept. 9, 2021 CA AB 173 Requires the California DOJ to Supply Information to the California Firearm Violence Research Center Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
Sept. 8, 2021 CA AB 490 Prohibits Law Enforcements Agencies from Authorizing Certain Restraint Techniques Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
Sept. 8, 2021 CA AB 105 Requires State Boards and Committees to be More Diverse Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
Sept. 2, 2021 CA SB 16 Expands the Public's Access to Police Records Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Sept. 2, 2021 CA SB 714 Authorizes DREAMers to Participate in County Central Committees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/20 S 2834 Requires Culturally Responsive Training for Teaching Candidates Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
12/08 HB 29 Authorizes Sports Betting in Ohio Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 1)
11/09 SB 565 Expands Concealed Carry Laws Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
11/09 SB 448 Authorizes Municipalities and Counties to be Sued for Gun Ordinances Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
11/08 SB 585 Requires Schools to Provide Statistics Relating to On-Campus Crime Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
10/28 HB 3512 Amends Criminal Justice Law Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 17)
10/26 HB 370 Repeals the Parental Notice of Abortion Act Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
10/26 SB 814 Classifies Fleeing an Officer Attempting to Arrest and Injuring a Police Dog as a Crime Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14)
10/26 SB 814 Increases Penalties For Fleeing the Police on Foot Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
10/20 SB 185 Prohibits Local Governments from Confiscating Firearms During Declared Emergencies Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
10/06 HB 761 Establishes Police Vehicle and Equipment Protection Act Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
10/04 SB 732 Prohibits the Process Known as "Vaccine Coercion" Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
10/01 HB 2 Increases the Number of Inmates who Could be Released Before the End of Their Sentence Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
9/10 SB 586 Authorizes California's Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to Strip an Officer's Certification Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 9)
9/10 SB 715 Extends Restrictions on Gun Control Loopholes by Requiring Verification on Hunting Licenses Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 9)
9/10 SB 715 Extends Restrictions on Gun Control Loopholes by Requiring Verification on Hunting Licenses Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 9)
9/10 SB 98 Establishes Journalists Can Cover Events in Areas that Have Been Closed by Law Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
9/10 SB 805 Authorizes Low-Cost Payroll and Paymaster Services for Nonprofit Performing Arts Organizations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
9/10 SB 98 Establishes Journalists Can Cover Events in Areas that Have Been Closed by Law Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
9/09 AB 481 Requires Law Enforcement Agencies Receive Approval Before Acquiring Military-Grade Equipment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
9/09 AB 173 Requires the California DOJ to Supply Information to the California Firearm Violence Research Center Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
9/08 AB 490 Prohibits Law Enforcements Agencies from Authorizing Certain Restraint Techniques Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
9/08 AB 105 Requires State Boards and Committees to be More Diverse Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
9/02 SB 16 Expands the Public's Access to Police Records Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
9/02 SB 714 Authorizes DREAMers to Participate in County Central Committees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 6)

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