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
Oct. 17, 2023 WI SB 139 Establishes a Statewide Wolf Population Goal Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Oct. 5, 2023 MI SB 441 Amends Reporting Requirements for the Commercial Fishing Industry Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
Sept. 28, 2023 National S J Res 9 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened Status with Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population Segment". Veto Override Failed - Senate (47 - 46)
Sept. 28, 2023 National S J Res 24 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Northern Long-Eared Bat". Veto Override Failed - Senate (47 - 45)
Sept. 6, 2023 CA SB 732 Establishes the Pallid Bat as the State Official Bat Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
July 5, 2023 CA SB 147 Amends the Fish and Game Code to Protect Certain Species Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
June 21, 2023 OR HB 2915 Prohibits Retail Pet Stores From Selling Dogs and Cats Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3)
June 5, 2023 NY S 3431 Establishes Punishments for Promotion of Animal Fighting Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 1)
May 11, 2023 National S J Res 23 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the National Marine Fisheries Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Listing Endangered and Threatened Species and Designating Critical Habitat". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
May 11, 2023 National S J Res 24 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Northern Long-Eared Bat". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
May 10, 2023 MO SB 138 Increases Eligibility of the Loan Forgiveness Program for Large Animal Veterinary Students Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 6)
May 3, 2023 National S J Res 9 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened Status with Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population Segment". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 48)
April 25, 2023 NV SB 269 Amends Prohibitions on the Legal Ways Dogs May be Restrained Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
April 24, 2023 ND HB 1371 Amends State Anti-Corporate Farming Laws to Increase Animal Agriculture Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 5)
April 17, 2023 WA SB 5371 Authorizes Protections for Orca Whales Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
April 3, 2023 CO SB 23-163 Classifies Wildlife Officers as State Troopers Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1)
March 24, 2023 IL SB 1883 Prohibits Human Contact With Bears or Other Nonhuman Primates Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 9)
March 3, 2023 UT HB 137 Establishes Brine Shrimp as the State Crustacean Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 3)
Feb. 14, 2023 NM SB 9 Appropriates Millions in State Funds for Environment and Cultural Conservation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7)
Feb. 9, 2023 HI SB 432 Defines Hawaii Coral Reefs as Critical Natural Infrastructure Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 0)
Jan. 27, 2023 MT SB 85 Amends Law Regarding Grizzly Bear Population Management Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/17 SB 139 Establishes a Statewide Wolf Population Goal Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
10/05 SB 441 Amends Reporting Requirements for the Commercial Fishing Industry Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
9/28 S J Res 9 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened Status with Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population Segment". Veto Override Failed - Senate (47 - 46)
9/28 S J Res 24 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Northern Long-Eared Bat". Veto Override Failed - Senate (47 - 45)
9/06 SB 732 Establishes the Pallid Bat as the State Official Bat Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
7/05 SB 147 Amends the Fish and Game Code to Protect Certain Species Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
6/21 HB 2915 Prohibits Retail Pet Stores From Selling Dogs and Cats Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3)
6/05 S 3431 Establishes Punishments for Promotion of Animal Fighting Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 1)
5/11 S J Res 23 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the National Marine Fisheries Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Listing Endangered and Threatened Species and Designating Critical Habitat". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
5/11 S J Res 24 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Northern Long-Eared Bat". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
5/10 SB 138 Increases Eligibility of the Loan Forgiveness Program for Large Animal Veterinary Students Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 6)
5/03 S J Res 9 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened Status with Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population Segment". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 48)
4/25 SB 269 Amends Prohibitions on the Legal Ways Dogs May be Restrained Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
4/24 HB 1371 Amends State Anti-Corporate Farming Laws to Increase Animal Agriculture Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 5)
4/17 SB 5371 Authorizes Protections for Orca Whales Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
4/03 SB 23-163 Classifies Wildlife Officers as State Troopers Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1)
3/24 SB 1883 Prohibits Human Contact With Bears or Other Nonhuman Primates Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 9)
3/03 HB 137 Establishes Brine Shrimp as the State Crustacean Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 3)
2/14 SB 9 Appropriates Millions in State Funds for Environment and Cultural Conservation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7)
2/09 SB 432 Defines Hawaii Coral Reefs as Critical Natural Infrastructure Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 0)
1/27 SB 85 Amends Law Regarding Grizzly Bear Population Management Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)

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