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
June 21, 2017 WI AB 299 Authorizes Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (61 - 36)
June 19, 2017 NJ S 3067 Prohibits Transgender Discrimination in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
May 31, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
May 30, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
May 25, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
May 24, 2017 LA HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
May 11, 2017 AL SB 200 Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
May 9, 2017 AZ SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
May 8, 2017 AZ SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
May 8, 2017 MO SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - House (98 - 30)
May 2, 2017 CT HB 6695 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (141 - 8)
April 27, 2017 TX HB 89 Prohibits Contracts with Companies Boycotting Israel Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
April 27, 2017 MI SB 163 Authorizes "Choose Life" License Plates Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
April 26, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - House (91 - 24)
April 26, 2017 NC HB 527 Establishes Sanctions for Disruptive Student Protest (88 - 32)
April 26, 2017 LA SB 16 Provides Parole Eligibility to Juveniles Sentenced to Life in Prison Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 24, 2017 NE LB 75 Restores Voting Rights Upon Completion of a Felony Sentence Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
April 21, 2017 VT H 333 Requires Gender-Neutral Bathrooms Bill Passed - House (123 - 19)
April 17, 2017 AZ SB 1406 Limits Applicability of Disability Lawsuits Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
April 12, 2017 VT HB 492 Establishes a Board for Racial Justice in Policing Bill Passed - House (120 - 25)
April 11, 2017 AL SB 193 Authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian Church to Form a Police Force Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
April 7, 2017 WA HB 1595 Establishes Fees for Printed and Digital Copies of Public Records Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 4)
April 5, 2017 PA HB 741 Reinstates Mandatory Minimum Sentences Bill Passed - House (122 - 67)
April 5, 2017 SC H 3930 Amends Handgun Carry Rules Bill Passed - House (64 - 46)
April 4, 2017 TX SB 576 Establishes Reporting Standards for Sexual Assault on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/21 AB 299 Authorizes Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (61 - 36)
6/19 S 3067 Prohibits Transgender Discrimination in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
5/31 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
5/30 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
5/25 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
5/24 HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
5/11 SB 200 Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
5/09 SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
5/08 SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
5/08 SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - House (98 - 30)
5/02 HB 6695 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (141 - 8)
4/27 HB 89 Prohibits Contracts with Companies Boycotting Israel Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
4/27 SB 163 Authorizes "Choose Life" License Plates Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
4/26 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - House (91 - 24)
4/26 HB 527 Establishes Sanctions for Disruptive Student Protest (88 - 32)
4/26 SB 16 Provides Parole Eligibility to Juveniles Sentenced to Life in Prison Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/24 LB 75 Restores Voting Rights Upon Completion of a Felony Sentence Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
4/21 H 333 Requires Gender-Neutral Bathrooms Bill Passed - House (123 - 19)
4/17 SB 1406 Limits Applicability of Disability Lawsuits Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
4/12 HB 492 Establishes a Board for Racial Justice in Policing Bill Passed - House (120 - 25)
4/11 SB 193 Authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian Church to Form a Police Force Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
4/07 HB 1595 Establishes Fees for Printed and Digital Copies of Public Records Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 4)
4/05 HB 741 Reinstates Mandatory Minimum Sentences Bill Passed - House (122 - 67)
4/05 H 3930 Amends Handgun Carry Rules Bill Passed - House (64 - 46)
4/04 SB 576 Establishes Reporting Standards for Sexual Assault on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1)

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