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
Feb. 8, 2023 NC HB 40 Increases Penalties for Rioting Bill Passed - House (75 - 43)
Feb. 8, 2023 NC HB 40 Increases Penalties for Rioting Bill Passed - House (75 - 43)
Feb. 9, 2023 IA HF 159 Prohibits Use of Trans or Gay Panic Defense in Assault Cases Bill Passed - House (94 - 1)
March 8, 2023 National H J Res 26 Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (81 - 14)
Feb. 9, 2023 National H J Res 26 Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act Joint Resolution Passed - House (250 - 173)
Feb. 10, 2023 FL SB 4-B Authorizes Office of Statewide Prosecution to Investigate Voting-Related Crimes Bill Passed - House (77 - 33)
Feb. 8, 2023 FL SB 4-B Authorizes Office of Statewide Prosecution to Investigate Voting-Related Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
Feb. 9, 2023 National H Res 104 Condemning the Chinese Communist Party's use of a high-altitude surveillance balloon over United States territory as a brazen violation of United States sovereignty Resolution Passed - House (419 - 0)
Feb. 7, 2023 VA HB 2387 Establishes a Refundable Income Tax Credit for Firearm Safety Devices Bill Passed - House (98 - 1)
Feb. 9, 2023 MS HB 1105 Authorizes Certain Government Employees of the Secretary of State to Carry Firearms Bill Passed - House (89 - 21)
Jan. 24, 2023 WV SB 10 Authorizes College Campus Concealed-Carry Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
Feb. 16, 2023 SD HB 1235 Authorizes a COVID-19 Vaccine Conscience Exemption Bill Failed - House (30 - 39)
March 29, 2023 NC SB 41 Expands Conceal Carry Permits in School Zones Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 45)
March 28, 2023 NC SB 41 Expands Conceal Carry Permits in School Zones Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
Feb. 16, 2023 NC SB 41 Expands Conceal Carry Permits in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
March 7, 2023 MS HB 1020 Establishes a Court System of Unelected Judges and Prosecutors for the City of Jackson, Mississippi Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
Feb. 7, 2023 MS HB 1020 Establishes a Court System of Unelected Judges and Prosecutors for the City of Jackson, Mississippi Bill Passed - House (76 - 38)
March 29, 2023 GA SB 44 Increases Penalties for Gang Recruitment Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
March 20, 2023 GA SB 44 Increases Penalties for Gang Recruitment Bill Passed - House (99 - 74)
Feb. 13, 2023 GA SB 44 Increases Penalties for Gang Recruitment Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 22)
Feb. 21, 2023 MN HF 28 Expands Voting Rights to Ex-Felons Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 30)
Feb. 2, 2023 MN HF 28 Expands Voting Rights to Ex-Felons Bill Passed - House (71 - 59)
March 8, 2023 NM HB 4 Expands Various Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14)
Feb. 21, 2023 NM HB 4 Expands Various Voting Rights Bill Passed - House (41 - 26)
March 13, 2023 NM SB 64 Prohibits Life Sentences for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (37 - 25)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/08 HB 40 Increases Penalties for Rioting Bill Passed - House (75 - 43)
2/08 HB 40 Increases Penalties for Rioting Bill Passed - House (75 - 43)
2/09 HF 159 Prohibits Use of Trans or Gay Panic Defense in Assault Cases Bill Passed - House (94 - 1)
3/08 H J Res 26 Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (81 - 14)
2/09 H J Res 26 Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act Joint Resolution Passed - House (250 - 173)
2/10 SB 4-B Authorizes Office of Statewide Prosecution to Investigate Voting-Related Crimes Bill Passed - House (77 - 33)
2/08 SB 4-B Authorizes Office of Statewide Prosecution to Investigate Voting-Related Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
2/09 H Res 104 Condemning the Chinese Communist Party's use of a high-altitude surveillance balloon over United States territory as a brazen violation of United States sovereignty Resolution Passed - House (419 - 0)
2/07 HB 2387 Establishes a Refundable Income Tax Credit for Firearm Safety Devices Bill Passed - House (98 - 1)
2/09 HB 1105 Authorizes Certain Government Employees of the Secretary of State to Carry Firearms Bill Passed - House (89 - 21)
1/24 SB 10 Authorizes College Campus Concealed-Carry Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
2/16 HB 1235 Authorizes a COVID-19 Vaccine Conscience Exemption Bill Failed - House (30 - 39)
3/29 SB 41 Expands Conceal Carry Permits in School Zones Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 45)
3/28 SB 41 Expands Conceal Carry Permits in School Zones Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
2/16 SB 41 Expands Conceal Carry Permits in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
3/07 HB 1020 Establishes a Court System of Unelected Judges and Prosecutors for the City of Jackson, Mississippi Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
2/07 HB 1020 Establishes a Court System of Unelected Judges and Prosecutors for the City of Jackson, Mississippi Bill Passed - House (76 - 38)
3/29 SB 44 Increases Penalties for Gang Recruitment Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
3/20 SB 44 Increases Penalties for Gang Recruitment Bill Passed - House (99 - 74)
2/13 SB 44 Increases Penalties for Gang Recruitment Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 22)
2/21 HF 28 Expands Voting Rights to Ex-Felons Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 30)
2/02 HF 28 Expands Voting Rights to Ex-Felons Bill Passed - House (71 - 59)
3/08 HB 4 Expands Various Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14)
2/21 HB 4 Expands Various Voting Rights Bill Passed - House (41 - 26)
3/13 SB 64 Prohibits Life Sentences for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (37 - 25)

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