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
April 11, 2017 AL SB 193 Authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian Church to Form a Police Force Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
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)
April 17, 2017 AZ SB 1406 Limits Applicability of Disability Lawsuits Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
May 8, 2017 AZ SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
May 2, 2017 CT HB 6695 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (141 - 8)
March 23, 2017 FL SB 436 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
March 15, 2017 FL SB 128 Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
March 23, 2017 IA HF 516 Requires Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 9, 2017 IA HF 516 Requires Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
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
April 26, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - House (91 - 24)
March 6, 2017 KY SB 17 Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
May 24, 2017 LA HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
April 26, 2017 LA SB 16 Provides Parole Eligibility to Juveniles Sentenced to Life in Prison Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 27, 2017 MI SB 163 Authorizes "Choose Life" License Plates Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
March 30, 2017 MN HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 54)
March 30, 2017 MN HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 7)
March 8, 2017 MN HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 38)
Feb. 23, 2017 MN HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - House (72 - 58)
May 8, 2017 MO SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - House (98 - 30)
March 13, 2017 MO HB 441 Establishes Protections for Student Journalists Bill Passed - House (148 - 6)
March 2, 2017 MO SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/11 SB 193 Authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian Church to Form a Police Force Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
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)
4/17 SB 1406 Limits Applicability of Disability Lawsuits Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
5/08 SB 1384 Prohibits Censorship of Student Media Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
5/02 HB 6695 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (141 - 8)
3/23 SB 436 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
3/15 SB 128 Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
3/23 HF 516 Requires Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/09 HF 516 Requires Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
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
4/26 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - House (91 - 24)
3/06 SB 17 Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
5/24 HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
4/26 SB 16 Provides Parole Eligibility to Juveniles Sentenced to Life in Prison Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/27 SB 163 Authorizes "Choose Life" License Plates Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
3/30 HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 54)
3/30 HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 7)
3/08 HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 38)
2/23 HF 3 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - House (72 - 58)
5/08 SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - House (98 - 30)
3/13 HB 441 Establishes Protections for Student Journalists Bill Passed - House (148 - 6)
3/02 SB 43 Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)

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