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:
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.
Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 21, 2017 | National | HR 4667 | Making further supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, for disaster assistance for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and calendar year 2017 wildfires, and for other purposes | Bill Passed - House (251 - 169) |
Dec. 7, 2017 | National | H J Res 123 | Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 | Bill Passed - House (235 - 193) |
Nov. 30, 2017 | National | HR 4182 | Ensuring a Qualified Civil Service Act of 2017 (EQUALS Act) | Bill Passed - House (213 - 204) |
Nov. 30, 2017 | National | HR 4182 | Ensuring a Qualified Civil Service Act of 2017 (EQUALS Act) | Bill Passed - House (213 - 204) |
Nov. 8, 2017 | OK | HB 1054 | Increases Tax Rate on Tobacco, Alcohol, and Fuel Products | Bill Failed - House (71 - 27) |
Oct. 31, 2017 | MI | SB 253 | Appropriates Supplemental Funds for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (105 - 2) |
Oct. 25, 2017 | National | HR 469 | Sunshine for Regulations and Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 187) |
Oct. 24, 2017 | National | HR 732 | Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (238 - 183) |
Oct. 17, 2017 | NC | S 656 | Prohibits Part Primaries for Certain 2018 Court Elections | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 40) |
Oct. 17, 2017 | NC | S 656 | Prohibits Part Primaries for Certain 2018 Court Elections | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 40) |
Sept. 26, 2017 | PA | HB 171 | Authorizes Any Registered Vote to be Appointed a Poll Watcher | Bill Passed - House (106 - 91) |
Sept. 15, 2017 | CA | SB 54 | Establishes a Statewide Sanctuary Policy | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
Sept. 14, 2017 | National | HR 3354 | Making Appropriations for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. | Bill Passed - House (211 - 198) |
Aug. 28, 2017 | IL | SB 1947 | Establishes School Funding Plan | Bill Passed - House (73 - 34) |
July 28, 2017 | National | HR 3180 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 | Bill Passed - House (380 - 35) |
July 27, 2017 | National | HR 3219 | Make America Secure Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 192) |
July 7, 2017 | MA | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - House (140 - 9) |
July 6, 2017 | IL | SB 6 | Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 | Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 37) |
July 5, 2017 | OR | HB 2017 | Establishes Oregon's Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - House (39 - 20) |
June 29, 2017 | NC | SJR 36 | Authorizes Participation in a Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Failed - House (66 - 45) |
June 29, 2017 | NC | SJR 36 | Authorizes Participation in a Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Failed - House (66 - 45) |
June 29, 2017 | NC | SJR 36 | Authorizes Participation in a Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Failed - House (66 - 45) |
June 29, 2017 | National | HR 3003 | No Sanctuary for Criminals Act | Bill Passed - House (228 - 195) |
June 28, 2017 | OH | HB 49 | Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 | Conference Report Adopted - House (59 - 40) |
June 21, 2017 | OH | HB 41 | Amends Absentee Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - House (64 - 30) |
June 15, 2017 | OR | HB 2391 | Establishes a Tax on Oregon Health Plan Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
June 14, 2017 | WI | AB 165 | Authorizes Role in a Constitutional Convention | Bill Passed - House (58 - 37) |
June 6, 2017 | NC | SB 655 | Establishes New Primary Election Dates | Bill Passed - House (71 - 46) |
June 1, 2017 | NH | SB 3 | Establishes New Voter Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - House (191 - 162) |
June 1, 2017 | CA | AB 1578 | Prohibits State Law Enforcement from Cooperating with Federal Marijuana Law Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (41 - 33) |
May 31, 2017 | RI | H 5702A | Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration at DMV | Bill Passed - House (62 - 10) |
May 29, 2017 | IL | SB 31 | Establishes the Illinois TRUST Act. | Bill Passed - House (62 - 49) |
May 24, 2017 | MA | H 3034 | Limits the Use of Prison Labor | Bill Passed - House (120 - 35) |
May 18, 2017 | NV | SB 176 | Requires Police Officers to Wear Body Cameras | Bill Passed - House (33 - 9) |
May 15, 2017 | AK | HB 74 | Authorizes REAL ID Compliance | Bill Passed - House (27 - 13) |
May 9, 2017 | CO | HB 1375 | Requires School Districts to Develop a Plan to Equitably Distribute Funds | Bill Passed - House (65 - 0) |
May 6, 2017 | TX | HB 25 | Prohibits One-Punch Straight Ticket Voting | Bill Passed - House (88 - 57) |
May 4, 2017 | CA | AB 84 | Authorizes Earlier Presidential Primary | Bill Passed - House (52 - 20) |
May 2, 2017 | OH | HB 49 | Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 | Bill Passed - House (58 - 37) |
April 27, 2017 | MI | HB 4177 | Amends Guidelines for Party Labels on Ballots | Bill Passed - House (63 - 46) |
April 26, 2017 | NC | H 239 | Reduces Court of Appeals Caseload | Veto Override Passed - House (73 - 44) |
April 26, 2017 | NC | H 239 | Reduces Court of Appeals Caseload | Veto Override Passed - House (73 - 44) |
April 26, 2017 | PA | HB 671 | Authorizes Lawsuits Against Local Governments with Gun Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (134 - 53) |
April 25, 2017 | MT | SB 366 | Establishes Real-ID Compliance | Bill Passed - House (83 - 17) |
April 21, 2017 | MT | SB 368 | Increases the Individual Limit for Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - House (54 - 46) |
April 13, 2017 | AZ | SB 1236 | Establishes Regulations for Statewide Initiatives and Referendum Petitions | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
April 11, 2017 | ME | LD 306 | Authorizes Issuance of REAL ID Compliant Licenses | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (115 - 30) |
April 11, 2017 | NC | H 239 | Reduces Court of Appeals Caseload | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 43) |
April 11, 2017 | NC | H 239 | Reduces Court of Appeals Caseload | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 43) |
April 9, 2017 | WV | HB 2018 | Reduces State Spending | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 37) |
April 6, 2017 | CA | SB 1 | Increases Gas and Vehicle Taxes to Pay for Road and Bridge Repairs | Bill Passed - House (54 - 26) |
April 6, 2017 | IL | HB 109 | Establishes Stopgap Budget | Bill Passed - House (64 - 45) |
April 6, 2017 | IL | HB 109 | Establishes Stopgap Budget | Bill Passed - House (64 - 45) |
April 6, 2017 | WI | AB 109 | Authorizes Towns to Withdraw from County Zoning | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
April 4, 2017 | AL | SB 16 | Prohibits Judicial Override of Sentencing Decisions | Bill Passed - House (78 - 19) |
April 4, 2017 | PA | HB 218 | Establishes a Budget for the Fiscal Year 2017-2018 | Bill Passed - House (144 - 84) |
March 31, 2017 | CO | HB 1242 | Increases State Sales Tax | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
March 31, 2017 | MT | HB 595 | Amends State Constitution to Define "Person" | Amendment Adopted - House (58 - 41) |
March 30, 2017 | ME | LD 156 | Authorizes National Popular Vote Interstate Compact | Bill Failed - House (66 - 73) |
March 30, 2017 | MO | HB 174 | Prohibits Local Governments from Enacting Ordinances that Oppose State Law | Bill Passed - House (118 - 36) |
March 23, 2017 | FL | HB 7007 | Authorizes Health Insurance and Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (77 - 37) |
March 23, 2017 | NJ | A 4243 | Requires "Whistleblower" Settlements to be Public Record | Bill Passed - House (73 - 0) |
March 20, 2017 | CA | AB 18 | Authorizes a Ballot Measure to Appropriate $3 Billion to State Parks | Bill Passed - House (59 - 19) |
March 16, 2017 | NJ | S 3048 | Requires Presidential Candidates to Disclose Tax Returns | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
March 15, 2017 | VT | S 79 | Prohibits the Disclosure of Personally Identifying Information | Bill Passed - House (110 - 24) |
March 15, 2017 | HI | HB 100 | Establishes the Budget for 2017-2018 | Bill Passed - House (50 - 0) |
March 10, 2017 | SC | H 3643 | Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy | Bill Passed - House (103 - 3) |
March 9, 2017 | IA | HF 295 | Prohibits Localities from Increasing Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
March 9, 2017 | IA | HF 516 | Requires Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
March 8, 2017 | NC | H 100 | Restores Partisan Court Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 43) |
March 8, 2017 | NC | H 100 | Restores Partisan Court Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 43) |
March 7, 2017 | IA | HF 517 | Authorizes Use of Deadly Force when Deemed Necessary | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
March 1, 2017 | National | HR 998 | Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act | Bill Passed - House (240 - 185) |
March 1, 2017 | National | HR 998 | Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act | Bill Passed - House (240 - 185) |
Feb. 23, 2017 | VA | HB 2000 | Prohibits Establishment of Sanctuary Cities | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 34) |
Feb. 22, 2017 | NV | IP 1 | Requires Automatic Voter Registration when Applying for Driver's License | Bill Passed - House (27 - 15) |
Feb. 21, 2017 | UT | HB 11 | Removes Political Party Affiliation Requirements for Certain State Commissions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 31) |
Feb. 16, 2017 | OK | HB 1845 | Requires REAL ID Compliance | Bill Passed - House (78 - 18) |
Feb. 7, 2017 | VA | HB 2000 | Prohibits Establishment of Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - House (63 - 33) |
Feb. 2, 2017 | National | H J Res 40 | Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (235 - 180) |
Feb. 1, 2017 | UT | HB 11 | Removes Political Party Affiliation Requirements for Certain State Commissions | Bill Passed - House (52 - 21) |
Feb. 1, 2017 | National | H J Res 38 | Disapproving the Rule Submitted by the Department of the Interior Known as the Stream Protection Rule | Joint Resolution Passed - House (228 - 194) |
Jan. 31, 2017 | AR | HB 1047 | Requires Voters to Provide Identification When Voting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
Jan. 27, 2017 | VT | HB 125 | Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 | Bill Passed - House (141 - 0) |
Jan. 5, 2017 | National | HR 26 | Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 187) |
Jan. 5, 2017 | National | HR 26 | Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 187) |
Jan. 4, 2017 | National | HR 21 | Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (238 - 184) |
Jan. 4, 2017 | National | HR 21 | Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (238 - 184) |