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:
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.
Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 12, 2023 | VA | SB 989 | Establishes Greater Victims Rights in Court | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 5) |
Feb. 7, 2023 | VA | SB 1515 | Establishes Civil Liability for or Publishing or Distributing Material Harmful to Minors on the Internet | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 3) |
Jan. 31, 2023 | VA | SB 1455 | Authorizes Law Enforcement to Establish a Curfew | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
Feb. 27, 2021 | VA | SJ 272 | Amends the Qualifications to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) |
Oct. 14, 2020 | VA | HB 5099 | Prohibits No-Knock Search Warrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 16) |
Oct. 14, 2020 | VA | SB 5030 | Establishes and Amends Various Provisions Relating to Law Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) |
Sept. 25, 2020 | VA | HB 5093 | Expands the Violation of a Pandemic-Related Executive Order to Include a Fine | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17) |
Sept. 10, 2020 | VA | SB 5030 | Establishes and Amends Various Provisions Relating to Law Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
Sept. 10, 2020 | VA | SB 5007 | Authorizes Defendants to Be Sentenced by a Judge Rather Than a Jury | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
Sept. 10, 2020 | VA | SB 5024 | Authorizes the Attorney General to File a Civil Suit or Inquire into Law Enforcement Engaging in Unlawful Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
April 22, 2020 | VA | HB 1255 | Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Create an Independent Redistricting Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
March 8, 2020 | VA | HB 1250 | Establishes the "Community Policing Act" | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 17) |
March 3, 2020 | VA | HB 623 | Repeals the State Statutory Same-Sex Marriage Ban and Amends State Gender-Neutral Terms | (24 - 16) |
March 3, 2020 | VA | HB 837 | Establishes the "Dress Code Equity Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
Feb. 17, 2020 | VA | HB 386 | Prohibits State Funding for Conversion Therapy on Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
Feb. 6, 2020 | VA | SB 868 | Amends Anti-Discrimination Law to Include Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
Jan. 27, 2020 | VA | HJ 1 | Establishes an Amendment to the US Constitution Relating to Equal Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
Jan. 27, 2020 | VA | HJ 1 | Establishes an Amendment to the US Constitution Relating to Equal Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
Jan. 21, 2020 | VA | SB 601 | Establishes Election Day to Replace Lee-Jackson Day | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
Jan. 15, 2020 | VA | SJ 1 | Establishes an Amendment to the US Constitution Relating to Equal Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
Jan. 15, 2020 | VA | SJ 1 | Establishes an Amendment to the US Constitution Relating to Equal Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
Jan. 23, 2017 | VA | SB 1055 | Classifies Failure to Leave Unlawful Assembly After Warning as a Class 1 Misdemeanor | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 26) |
Jan. 26, 2016 | VA | SJ 1 | Authorizes Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
Feb. 5, 2013 | VA | SB 1256 | Requires Photo Identification for Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
Feb. 5, 2013 | VA | SB 719 | Amends Voting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
Feb. 27, 2012 | VA | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
Feb. 6, 2012 | VA | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
Jan. 24, 2011 | VA | SB 949 | Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
Feb. 8, 2010 | VA | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
Jan. 27, 2010 | VA | SB 9 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
Feb. 24, 2009 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
Feb. 19, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
Feb. 5, 2009 | VA | SB 1161 | Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
Feb. 3, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 501 | Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 298 | Banning Smoking Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Jan. 25, 2007 | VA | SJ 307 | Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
Jan. 25, 2006 | VA | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |