Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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.


Page 1 of 3
results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
July 21, 2020 NY A 6710 Requires Incarcerated Parents to Be Placed at Facilities Closest to Their Children's Home Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 11)
Feb. 11, 2020 WI AB 806 Amends the Age for Juvenile Incarceration Bill Passed - House (60 - 38)
Aug. 24, 2020 CA AB 901 Limits a School District's Ability to Refer Students to Probation Officers Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
June 25, 2020 CA ACA 11 Establishes the "Home Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, Families, and Victims of Wildfire or Natural Disasters Act" Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
Jan. 16, 2020 MA H 4218 Requires School Districts Offer Breakfast After Instruction Begins Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
July 16, 2020 RI H 7541 Establishes the "Uniform Parentage Act" Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
June 26, 2020 VT H 965 Appropriates Funds to Health Care and Human Services Programs from Coronavirus Relief Fund Concurrence Vote Passed - House
June 26, 2020 VT H 965 Appropriates Funds to Health Care and Human Services Programs from Coronavirus Relief Fund Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
Oct. 2, 2020 LA HB 1 Establishes Parole Eligibility for Juvenile Offenders Bill Passed - House (81 - 10)
May 20, 2020 LA HB 109 Prohibits Vaping in Motor Vehicles When a Child Is Present Bill Passed - House (80 - 19)
Aug. 25, 2020 MO HB 11 Classifies the Crime of Child Endangerment as a First-Degree Felony Bill Passed - House (111 - 39)
Sept. 2, 2020 NC HB 1105 Appropriates COVID Relief Checks to Parents Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
Feb. 20, 2020 SD HB 1133 Establishes a Rebuttable Presumption in Favor of Joint Custody of a Minor Bill Passed - House (41 - 25)
June 30, 2020 NH HB 1162 Amends Adoption Laws for Unmarried Couples Concurrence Vote Passed - House (209 - 119)
June 30, 2020 NH HB 1162 Amends Adoption Laws for Unmarried Couples Concurrence Vote Passed - House (209 - 119)
May 14, 2020 MO HB 1414 Establishes a State Birth Certificate Program and Medicaid Health Coverage for Missouri's Homeless Youth Concurrence Vote Passed - House (138 - 4)
Aug. 25, 2020 MO HB 16 Classifies Knowingly Transferring a Firearm to a Minor for the Purpose of Avoiding an Arrest or Investigation as a Felony Bill Passed - House (99 - 49)
May 15, 2020 LA HB 173 Expands Parole Eligibility for Certain Juvenile Offenders Bill Passed - House (68 - 22)
March 9, 2020 WY HB 174 Amends Kindergarten Minimum Age Start Date Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
Oct. 5, 2020 PA HB 1984 Authorizes a Parent to Petition to Terminate the Other Parent's Parental Rights Prior to Making Adoption Arrangements in Cases of Rape or Incest Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
Jan. 8, 2020 NH HB 201 Increases the Penalty for Sexual Contact with Human Trafficking Victims Under 18 Bill Passed - House (316 - 55)
July 6, 2020 HI HB 2043 Authorizes Mental Health Services or Counseling to Minors without Parent or Guardian Participation Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 2)
Dec. 2, 2020 CO HB 20B-1001 Appropriates Funds for Grants to Improve Broadband Internet Access for Preschool Education Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10)
Dec. 2, 2020 CO HB 20B-1002 Appropriates $45 Million in Funds for Grants Programs to Assist Childcare Providers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 8)
Dec. 3, 2020 OH HB 231 Requires Public Schools Establish a Food Allergy Training Program Bill Passed - House (95 - 1)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/21 A 6710 Requires Incarcerated Parents to Be Placed at Facilities Closest to Their Children's Home Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 11)
2/11 AB 806 Amends the Age for Juvenile Incarceration Bill Passed - House (60 - 38)
8/24 AB 901 Limits a School District's Ability to Refer Students to Probation Officers Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
6/25 ACA 11 Establishes the "Home Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, Families, and Victims of Wildfire or Natural Disasters Act" Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
1/16 H 4218 Requires School Districts Offer Breakfast After Instruction Begins Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
7/16 H 7541 Establishes the "Uniform Parentage Act" Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
6/26 H 965 Appropriates Funds to Health Care and Human Services Programs from Coronavirus Relief Fund Concurrence Vote Passed - House
6/26 H 965 Appropriates Funds to Health Care and Human Services Programs from Coronavirus Relief Fund Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
10/02 HB 1 Establishes Parole Eligibility for Juvenile Offenders Bill Passed - House (81 - 10)
5/20 HB 109 Prohibits Vaping in Motor Vehicles When a Child Is Present Bill Passed - House (80 - 19)
8/25 HB 11 Classifies the Crime of Child Endangerment as a First-Degree Felony Bill Passed - House (111 - 39)
9/02 HB 1105 Appropriates COVID Relief Checks to Parents Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
2/20 HB 1133 Establishes a Rebuttable Presumption in Favor of Joint Custody of a Minor Bill Passed - House (41 - 25)
6/30 HB 1162 Amends Adoption Laws for Unmarried Couples Concurrence Vote Passed - House (209 - 119)
6/30 HB 1162 Amends Adoption Laws for Unmarried Couples Concurrence Vote Passed - House (209 - 119)
5/14 HB 1414 Establishes a State Birth Certificate Program and Medicaid Health Coverage for Missouri's Homeless Youth Concurrence Vote Passed - House (138 - 4)
8/25 HB 16 Classifies Knowingly Transferring a Firearm to a Minor for the Purpose of Avoiding an Arrest or Investigation as a Felony Bill Passed - House (99 - 49)
5/15 HB 173 Expands Parole Eligibility for Certain Juvenile Offenders Bill Passed - House (68 - 22)
3/09 HB 174 Amends Kindergarten Minimum Age Start Date Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
10/05 HB 1984 Authorizes a Parent to Petition to Terminate the Other Parent's Parental Rights Prior to Making Adoption Arrangements in Cases of Rape or Incest Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
1/08 HB 201 Increases the Penalty for Sexual Contact with Human Trafficking Victims Under 18 Bill Passed - House (316 - 55)
7/06 HB 2043 Authorizes Mental Health Services or Counseling to Minors without Parent or Guardian Participation Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 2)
12/02 HB 20B-1001 Appropriates Funds for Grants to Improve Broadband Internet Access for Preschool Education Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10)
12/02 HB 20B-1002 Appropriates $45 Million in Funds for Grants Programs to Assist Childcare Providers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 8)
12/03 HB 231 Requires Public Schools Establish a Food Allergy Training Program Bill Passed - House (95 - 1)

Page 1 of 3
arrow_upward