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
March 3, 2015 SD SB 89 Requires School Safety Plans and Lockdown Drills Bill Failed - House (30 - 37)
March 10, 2015 SD SB 1 Increases Speed Limit Bill Passed - House (54 - 14)
March 13, 2015 SD SB 1 Increases Speed Limit Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 9)
March 13, 2015 SD SB 1 Increases Speed Limit Conference Report Adopted - House (55 - 11)
Feb. 10, 2015 SD HB 1116 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Bill Passed - House (44 - 23)
March 10, 2015 SD SB 69 Amends Procedures for Elections and Election Petitions Bill Passed - House (41 - 25)
Jan. 27, 2016 SD HB 1008 Prohibits Students from Using School Restrooms Designated for the Opposite Biological Sex Bill Passed - House (58 - 10)
Feb. 8, 2016 SD HB 1107 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Religious Beliefs Bill Passed - House (46 - 10)
Feb. 9, 2016 SD HB 1112 Repeals Transgender Policies Adopted by High School Sports Associations Bill Passed - House (45 - 23)
Jan. 27, 2016 SD HB 1075 Expands Nonresident Waterfowl Hunting Areas Bill Passed - House (36 - 32)
Feb. 16, 2016 SD HB 1008 Prohibits Students from Using School Restrooms Designated for the Opposite Biological Sex Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
March 1, 2016 SD HB 1182 Increases Sales Tax Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2016 SD HB 1182 Increases Sales Tax Bill Passed - House (47 - 21)
Feb. 23, 2016 SD SB 72 Prohibits Abortions After 22 Weeks Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
March 3, 2016 SD HB 1008 Prohibits Students from Using School Restrooms Designated for the Opposite Biological Sex Veto Override Failed - House (36 - 29)
Feb. 23, 2016 SD HB 1206 Authorizes the Use of Handguns to Hunt Game Birds Bill Failed - House (23 - 44)
March 8, 2016 SD SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - House (45 - 23)
Feb. 24, 2016 SD SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
March 11, 2016 SD SB 172 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - House (53 - 12)
March 11, 2016 SD SB 172 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
March 8, 2016 SD SB 171 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Failed - House (25 - 43)
Feb. 23, 2016 SD SB 171 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
Feb. 22, 2017 SD SB 149 Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 14, 2017 SD HB 1101 Prohibits Abortion After 19 Weeks of Pregnancy Bill Passed - House (58 - 8)
Feb. 23, 2017 SD HB 1072 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without Permit Bill Passed - House (37 - 30)
Feb. 27, 2018 SD HB 1199 Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18)
Feb. 13, 2018 SD HB 1199 Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities Bill Passed - House (37 - 28)
Jan. 29, 2019 SD SB 47 Authorizes Concealed Carry to Individuals Without a Permit Bill Passed - House (47 - 23)
Jan. 22, 2019 SD SB 47 Authorizes Concealed Carry to Individuals Without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
March 26, 2018 SD SB 76 Amends Voter Registration Veto Override Passed - House (56 - 7)
March 7, 2018 SD HB 1140 Amends Public Water Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 14)
March 6, 2018 SD HB 1140 Amends Public Water Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
Feb. 14, 2018 SD HB 1106 Authorizes Hunting Preference Points to be Granted to Individuals age 10 Years or Older Bill Passed - House (54 - 10)
March 7, 2018 SD HB 1083 Amends Concealed Carry Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 3)
Feb. 12, 2019 SD HB 1108 Prohibits Gender Dysphoria Sex Education from Kindergarten through Grade 7 Bill Passed - House (39 - 30)
March 4, 2019 SD SB 115 Authorizes Constitutional Carry Within the Capital Bill Passed - House (44 - 19)
Feb. 20, 2019 SD SB 115 Authorizes Constitutional Carry Within the Capital Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
March 7, 2019 SD SB 189 Establishes "Riot Boosting" as a Civil Offense Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
March 12, 2019 SD HB 1191 Authorizes the Cultivation of Industrial Hemp Veto Override Failed - Senate (20 - 13)
March 12, 2019 SD HB 1087 Requires Protections for All Forms of Free Speech at Public Universities Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 12)
March 4, 2019 SD HB 1094 Increases Transparency in the Petition Circulation Process Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
Jan. 29, 2019 SD HB 1027 Amends Election Day Voting Laws Related to Voting Centers and Precinct Workers Bill Passed - House (50 - 20)
Jan. 29, 2020 SD HB 1057 Prohibits Gender Reassignment Surgeries on Children Under 16 Bill Passed - House (46 - 23)
Feb. 6, 2020 SD HB 1096 Prohibits Commercial Surrogacy and Establishes a Committee to Study the Issue Bill Passed - House (46 - 20)
Feb. 25, 2020 SD SB 6 Amends Conditions for Presumptive Probation Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
March 4, 2020 SD HB 1169 Prohibits Use of Certain Electronic Devices While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
Feb. 19, 2020 SD HB 1169 Prohibits Use of Certain Electronic Devices While Driving Bill Passed - House (42 - 26)
March 5, 2020 SD HB 1117 Repeals and Revises Certain Provisions Regarding Riots Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
Feb. 18, 2020 SD HB 1117 Repeals and Revises Certain Provisions Regarding Riots Bill Passed - House (45 - 25)
March 10, 2020 SD SB 180 Repeals and Amends Certain Regulations Surrounding the Petition Circulation Process Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/03 SB 89 Requires School Safety Plans and Lockdown Drills Bill Failed - House (30 - 37)
3/10 SB 1 Increases Speed Limit Bill Passed - House (54 - 14)
3/13 SB 1 Increases Speed Limit Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 9)
3/13 SB 1 Increases Speed Limit Conference Report Adopted - House (55 - 11)
2/10 HB 1116 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Bill Passed - House (44 - 23)
3/10 SB 69 Amends Procedures for Elections and Election Petitions Bill Passed - House (41 - 25)
1/27 HB 1008 Prohibits Students from Using School Restrooms Designated for the Opposite Biological Sex Bill Passed - House (58 - 10)
2/08 HB 1107 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Religious Beliefs Bill Passed - House (46 - 10)
2/09 HB 1112 Repeals Transgender Policies Adopted by High School Sports Associations Bill Passed - House (45 - 23)
1/27 HB 1075 Expands Nonresident Waterfowl Hunting Areas Bill Passed - House (36 - 32)
2/16 HB 1008 Prohibits Students from Using School Restrooms Designated for the Opposite Biological Sex Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
3/01 HB 1182 Increases Sales Tax Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
2/22 HB 1182 Increases Sales Tax Bill Passed - House (47 - 21)
2/23 SB 72 Prohibits Abortions After 22 Weeks Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
3/03 HB 1008 Prohibits Students from Using School Restrooms Designated for the Opposite Biological Sex Veto Override Failed - House (36 - 29)
2/23 HB 1206 Authorizes the Use of Handguns to Hunt Game Birds Bill Failed - House (23 - 44)
3/08 SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - House (45 - 23)
2/24 SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
3/11 SB 172 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - House (53 - 12)
3/11 SB 172 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
3/08 SB 171 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Failed - House (25 - 43)
2/23 SB 171 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
2/22 SB 149 Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/14 HB 1101 Prohibits Abortion After 19 Weeks of Pregnancy Bill Passed - House (58 - 8)
2/23 HB 1072 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without Permit Bill Passed - House (37 - 30)
2/27 HB 1199 Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18)
2/13 HB 1199 Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities Bill Passed - House (37 - 28)
1/29 SB 47 Authorizes Concealed Carry to Individuals Without a Permit Bill Passed - House (47 - 23)
1/22 SB 47 Authorizes Concealed Carry to Individuals Without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
3/26 SB 76 Amends Voter Registration Veto Override Passed - House (56 - 7)
3/07 HB 1140 Amends Public Water Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 14)
3/06 HB 1140 Amends Public Water Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
2/14 HB 1106 Authorizes Hunting Preference Points to be Granted to Individuals age 10 Years or Older Bill Passed - House (54 - 10)
3/07 HB 1083 Amends Concealed Carry Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 3)
2/12 HB 1108 Prohibits Gender Dysphoria Sex Education from Kindergarten through Grade 7 Bill Passed - House (39 - 30)
3/04 SB 115 Authorizes Constitutional Carry Within the Capital Bill Passed - House (44 - 19)
2/20 SB 115 Authorizes Constitutional Carry Within the Capital Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
3/07 SB 189 Establishes "Riot Boosting" as a Civil Offense Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
3/12 HB 1191 Authorizes the Cultivation of Industrial Hemp Veto Override Failed - Senate (20 - 13)
3/12 HB 1087 Requires Protections for All Forms of Free Speech at Public Universities Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 12)
3/04 HB 1094 Increases Transparency in the Petition Circulation Process Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
1/29 HB 1027 Amends Election Day Voting Laws Related to Voting Centers and Precinct Workers Bill Passed - House (50 - 20)
1/29 HB 1057 Prohibits Gender Reassignment Surgeries on Children Under 16 Bill Passed - House (46 - 23)
2/06 HB 1096 Prohibits Commercial Surrogacy and Establishes a Committee to Study the Issue Bill Passed - House (46 - 20)
2/25 SB 6 Amends Conditions for Presumptive Probation Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
3/04 HB 1169 Prohibits Use of Certain Electronic Devices While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
2/19 HB 1169 Prohibits Use of Certain Electronic Devices While Driving Bill Passed - House (42 - 26)
3/05 HB 1117 Repeals and Revises Certain Provisions Regarding Riots Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
2/18 HB 1117 Repeals and Revises Certain Provisions Regarding Riots Bill Passed - House (45 - 25)
3/10 SB 180 Repeals and Amends Certain Regulations Surrounding the Petition Circulation Process Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)

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