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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Nov. 20, 2020 PA SB 1350 Appropriates Funds for the 2021 General Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
Nov. 20, 2020 PA HB 2536 Appropriates funds for the Emergency COVID-19 Response Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
Nov. 19, 2020 PA HB 1737 Establishes Liability Protection to Healthcare Practitioners and Manufacturers of Personal Protective Equipment Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
Nov. 18, 2020 PA SB 1216 Authorizes the Issuance of Temporary Teaching Certificates Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Nov. 18, 2020 PA HB 1808 Defines Waste Classification in the Recycling Industry to Encourage Investment Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
Nov. 18, 2020 PA HB 1747 Limits the Governors Ability to Restrict Firearm Access During a Disaster Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
Nov. 18, 2020 PA HB 2440 Classifies Shooting Ranges, Sportsman Clubs, Hunting Facilities, and Firearm Businesses as "Life-Sustaining" Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
Nov. 17, 2020 PA SB 790 Repeals Certain Oil and Gas Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
Oct. 21, 2020 PA HB 440 Repeals Obligation to Pay Outstanding Court-Ordered Finances Before Eligible Cases Are Sealed Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Oct. 21, 2020 PA HB 2438 Authorizes Rural Electric Cooperatives to Use Existing Infrastructure for High-Speed Internet Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Oct. 21, 2020 PA SB 1112 Repeals Certain Existing Telecommunications Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
Oct. 20, 2020 PA SB 1199 Specifies Provisions for Personal Delivery Devices Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
Oct. 6, 2020 PA SB 1268 Authorizes Certification of Temporary Nurse Aides During COVID-19 Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
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)
Sept. 22, 2020 PA HB 2513 Authorizes Restaurants and Bars to Open at 50 Percent Capacity Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 6)
Sept. 22, 2020 PA SB 1164 Amends County Coroner Notification Requirements for Contagious Disease Deaths Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
Sept. 9, 2020 PA HB 2787 Authorizes Individual School Districts to Make Decisions Surrounding Activities and COVID-19 Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
Sept. 9, 2020 PA HB 2025 Requires Legislative Authorization Before Entering a State or Regional Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-Trade Program Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
July 15, 2020 PA SB 1166 Limits the Governor's Emergency Powers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
July 15, 2020 PA HB 196 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Elect Appellate Court Judges by Regional Districts Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24)
July 15, 2020 PA HB 2463 Requires State Agency Response to Public Record Requests Made During a Gubernatorial Disaster Declaration Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
July 15, 2020 PA SB 14 Establishes New Guidelines to Reduce Probation Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
July 15, 2020 PA SB 1216 Authorizes the Issuance of Temporary Teaching Certificates Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
July 14, 2020 PA HB 1459 Establishes a Mental Health Wellness and Stress Management Program for Emergency First Responders Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
July 13, 2020 PA HB 732 Establishes Tax Credit for Companies that Invest and Create Jobs Building Petrochemical or Fertilizer Plants using Dry Natural Gas Produced in Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9)
June 30, 2020 PA HB 943 Prohibits Price Comparison "Gag Clauses" by Pharmacy Benefit Managers Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 30, 2020 PA HB 1910 Establishes New Training Requirements for Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 24, 2020 PA SB 1205 Prohibits the Use of Police Chokeholds Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 24, 2020 PA SB 459 Requires Municipal Law Enforcement Department Adoption of Use of Force Policies Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 10, 2020 PA HB 2502 Requires Department of State to Publish Presidential Primary Report Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 10, 2020 PA SB 1125 Authorizes School Districts to Extend Time Needed to Pay Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 9, 2020 PA HR 836 Establishes a Resolution to Terminate the Governor's Emergency Declaration Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
May 13, 2020 PA HB 2388 Establishes Exemption Waivers for Business Closures Due to COVID-19 Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
April 21, 2020 PA SB 857 Authorizes Regulation of Telemedicine Among Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
April 15, 2020 PA SB 613 Requires the Governor's Office to Follow Federal Guidelines to Reopen Businesses During COVID-19 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
March 25, 2020 PA SB 751 Authorizes Financial Assistance for Schools Amid COVID-19-Related Shutdown Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
March 25, 2020 PA HB 68 Establishes a System of Unemployment Compensation in Response to the COVID-19 Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
March 25, 2020 PA HB 1232 Authorizes Emergency Finances and Tax Provisions in Response to the COVID-19 Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
Jan. 28, 2020 PA SB 773 Amends State Drunk Driving Laws and Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 6)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/20 SB 1350 Appropriates Funds for the 2021 General Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
11/20 HB 2536 Appropriates funds for the Emergency COVID-19 Response Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
11/19 HB 1737 Establishes Liability Protection to Healthcare Practitioners and Manufacturers of Personal Protective Equipment Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
11/18 SB 1216 Authorizes the Issuance of Temporary Teaching Certificates Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
11/18 HB 1808 Defines Waste Classification in the Recycling Industry to Encourage Investment Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
11/18 HB 1747 Limits the Governors Ability to Restrict Firearm Access During a Disaster Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
11/18 HB 2440 Classifies Shooting Ranges, Sportsman Clubs, Hunting Facilities, and Firearm Businesses as "Life-Sustaining" Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
11/17 SB 790 Repeals Certain Oil and Gas Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
10/21 HB 440 Repeals Obligation to Pay Outstanding Court-Ordered Finances Before Eligible Cases Are Sealed Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
10/21 HB 2438 Authorizes Rural Electric Cooperatives to Use Existing Infrastructure for High-Speed Internet Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
10/21 SB 1112 Repeals Certain Existing Telecommunications Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
10/20 SB 1199 Specifies Provisions for Personal Delivery Devices Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
10/06 SB 1268 Authorizes Certification of Temporary Nurse Aides During COVID-19 Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
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)
9/22 HB 2513 Authorizes Restaurants and Bars to Open at 50 Percent Capacity Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 6)
9/22 SB 1164 Amends County Coroner Notification Requirements for Contagious Disease Deaths Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
9/09 HB 2787 Authorizes Individual School Districts to Make Decisions Surrounding Activities and COVID-19 Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
9/09 HB 2025 Requires Legislative Authorization Before Entering a State or Regional Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-Trade Program Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
7/15 SB 1166 Limits the Governor's Emergency Powers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
7/15 HB 196 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Elect Appellate Court Judges by Regional Districts Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24)
7/15 HB 2463 Requires State Agency Response to Public Record Requests Made During a Gubernatorial Disaster Declaration Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
7/15 SB 14 Establishes New Guidelines to Reduce Probation Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
7/15 SB 1216 Authorizes the Issuance of Temporary Teaching Certificates Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
7/14 HB 1459 Establishes a Mental Health Wellness and Stress Management Program for Emergency First Responders Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
7/13 HB 732 Establishes Tax Credit for Companies that Invest and Create Jobs Building Petrochemical or Fertilizer Plants using Dry Natural Gas Produced in Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9)
6/30 HB 943 Prohibits Price Comparison "Gag Clauses" by Pharmacy Benefit Managers Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/30 HB 1910 Establishes New Training Requirements for Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/24 SB 1205 Prohibits the Use of Police Chokeholds Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/24 SB 459 Requires Municipal Law Enforcement Department Adoption of Use of Force Policies Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/10 HB 2502 Requires Department of State to Publish Presidential Primary Report Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/10 SB 1125 Authorizes School Districts to Extend Time Needed to Pay Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/09 HR 836 Establishes a Resolution to Terminate the Governor's Emergency Declaration Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
5/13 HB 2388 Establishes Exemption Waivers for Business Closures Due to COVID-19 Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
4/21 SB 857 Authorizes Regulation of Telemedicine Among Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
4/15 SB 613 Requires the Governor's Office to Follow Federal Guidelines to Reopen Businesses During COVID-19 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
3/25 SB 751 Authorizes Financial Assistance for Schools Amid COVID-19-Related Shutdown Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
3/25 HB 68 Establishes a System of Unemployment Compensation in Response to the COVID-19 Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
3/25 HB 1232 Authorizes Emergency Finances and Tax Provisions in Response to the COVID-19 Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
1/28 SB 773 Amends State Drunk Driving Laws and Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 6)

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