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
Nov. 7, 2017 WI AB 165 Authorizes Role in a Constitutional Convention Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
June 14, 2017 WI AB 165 Authorizes Role in a Constitutional Convention Bill Passed - House (58 - 37)
June 21, 2017 WI AB 299 Authorizes Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (61 - 36)
April 21, 2017 VT H 333 Requires Gender-Neutral Bathrooms Bill Passed - House (123 - 19)
March 10, 2017 SC H 3643 Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy Bill Passed - House (103 - 3)
March 10, 2017 SC H 3643 Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy Bill Passed - House (103 - 3)
April 5, 2017 SC H 3930 Amends Handgun Carry Rules Bill Passed - House (64 - 46)
March 28, 2017 ND HB 1310 Amends Concealed Carry Laws Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 27)
April 7, 2017 WA HB 1595 Establishes Fees for Printed and Digital Copies of Public Records Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 4)
May 31, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
May 25, 2017 IL HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
May 30, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
April 26, 2017 IL HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - House (91 - 24)
May 24, 2017 LA HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
March 13, 2017 MO HB 441 Establishes Protections for Student Journalists Bill Passed - House (148 - 6)
April 12, 2017 VT HB 492 Establishes a Board for Racial Justice in Policing Bill Passed - House (120 - 25)
April 26, 2017 NC HB 527 Establishes Sanctions for Disruptive Student Protest (88 - 32)
March 31, 2017 MT HB 595 Amends State Constitution to Define "Person" Amendment Adopted - House (58 - 41)
May 2, 2017 CT HB 6695 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (141 - 8)
April 5, 2017 PA HB 741 Reinstates Mandatory Minimum Sentences Bill Passed - House (122 - 67)
April 27, 2017 TX HB 89 Prohibits Contracts with Companies Boycotting Israel Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/07 AB 165 Authorizes Role in a Constitutional Convention Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
6/14 AB 165 Authorizes Role in a Constitutional Convention Bill Passed - House (58 - 37)
6/21 AB 299 Authorizes Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (61 - 36)
4/21 H 333 Requires Gender-Neutral Bathrooms Bill Passed - House (123 - 19)
3/10 H 3643 Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy Bill Passed - House (103 - 3)
3/10 H 3643 Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy Bill Passed - House (103 - 3)
4/05 H 3930 Amends Handgun Carry Rules Bill Passed - House (64 - 46)
3/28 HB 1310 Amends Concealed Carry Laws Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 27)
4/07 HB 1595 Establishes Fees for Printed and Digital Copies of Public Records Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 4)
5/31 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
5/25 HB 1785 Authorizes Birth Certificate Changes for Transgender People Bill Passed - House
5/30 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
4/26 HB 2462 Prohibits Screening Job Applicants Based on Wage or Salary History Bill Passed - House (91 - 24)
5/24 HB 269 Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (66 - 26)
3/13 HB 441 Establishes Protections for Student Journalists Bill Passed - House (148 - 6)
4/12 HB 492 Establishes a Board for Racial Justice in Policing Bill Passed - House (120 - 25)
4/26 HB 527 Establishes Sanctions for Disruptive Student Protest (88 - 32)
3/31 HB 595 Amends State Constitution to Define "Person" Amendment Adopted - House (58 - 41)
5/02 HB 6695 Prohibits Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (141 - 8)
4/05 HB 741 Reinstates Mandatory Minimum Sentences Bill Passed - House (122 - 67)
4/27 HB 89 Prohibits Contracts with Companies Boycotting Israel Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
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)

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