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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1, 2022 | OR | SB 1510 | Prohibits Police from Stopping Drivers Due to a Defective Tail Light, Headlight, or Brake Light | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11) |
| March 1, 2022 | OR | SB 1584 | Establishes Legal Process for Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 0) |
| June 7, 2021 | OR | HB 3284 | Prohibits a Covered Organization from Collecting Personal Health Data Without Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| May 24, 2021 | OR | SB 418 | Prohibits Police From Lying to Youth | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
| April 15, 2021 | OR | SJM 4 | Alleges Congress Should Implement Reparations for African Americans | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| April 14, 2021 | OR | SB 704 | Prohibits the Use of the "Gay Panic" Murder Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1) |
| April 7, 2021 | OR | SB 204 | Expands Criminal Justice Agencies to Include Citizen Review Boards | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| April 1, 2021 | OR | SB 398 | Establishes the Presence of a Noose as a Hate Crime | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 1) |
| April 1, 2021 | OR | SB 398 | Establishes the Presence of a Noose as a Hate Crime | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 1) |
| March 25, 2021 | OR | SB 554 | Authorizes Local Governments and School Districts to Prohibit Guns on Capital and State Property | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 7) |
| Dec. 21, 2020 | OR | HB 4402 | Establishes Liability Immunity from COVID-19 Related Lawsuits for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| Dec. 21, 2020 | OR | HB 4401 | Requires Distribution of Unpaid Rent During State of Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| Dec. 21, 2020 | OR | HB 4402 | Establishes Liability Immunity from COVID-19 Related Lawsuits for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| Aug. 10, 2020 | OR | HB 4301 | Prohibits Use of Chokeholds by Law Enforcement Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| June 26, 2020 | OR | HB 4208 | Prohibits the Use of Tear Gas for Crowd Control | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2) |
| June 26, 2020 | OR | HB 4210 | Repeals Driving Privilege Suspensions for Failure to Pay Fines | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| June 26, 2020 | OR | HB 4201 | Establishes Joint Committee on Transparent Policing and Use of Force Reform | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 1) |
| June 26, 2020 | OR | HB 4205 | Requires Police Officers to Intervene When a Fellow Officer is Engaging in Misconduct | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 0) |
| June 26, 2020 | OR | HB 4203 | Prohibits Peace Officers from Using Force by Applying Pressure on Throat or Neck | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 1) |
| June 26, 2020 | OR | HB 4203 | Prohibits Peace Officers from Using Force by Applying Pressure on Throat or Neck | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 1) |
| June 26, 2020 | OR | HB 4207 | Establishes Online Database of Suspended Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 1) |
| June 26, 2020 | OR | SB 1604 | Amends Law Enforcement Arbitration Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 0) |
| June 26, 2020 | OR | SB 1604 | Amends Law Enforcement Arbitration Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 0) |
| June 3, 2019 | OR | HB 3216 | Prohibits Discriminatory 911 Calls | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 1) |
| June 3, 2019 | OR | HB 3216 | Prohibits Discriminatory 911 Calls | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 1) |
| May 22, 2019 | OR | HB 2303 | Repeals Pseudoephedrine and Ephedrine as Class 3 Controlled Substances | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| May 21, 2019 | OR | SB 1013 | Redefines the Crime of Aggravated Murder | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| May 21, 2019 | OR | SB 1013 | Redefines the Crime of Aggravated Murder | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| April 18, 2019 | OR | SB 250 | Prohibits Health Benefit Plans from Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| April 16, 2019 | OR | SB 1008 | Amends Juvenile Offender Sentencing | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Feb. 27, 2018 | OR | HB 4135 | Authorizes Healthcare Providers to Make Decisions for End of Life Patients | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| Feb. 22, 2018 | OR | HB 4145 | Prohibits Convicted Stalkers from Possessing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| July 6, 2017 | OR | HB 2355 | Reduces Criminal Charges for Drug Possession | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| May 1, 2017 | OR | SB 719 | Prohibits Individuals with Risk of Suicide from Owning Deadly Weapons | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| April 14, 2015 | OR | SB 941 | Requires Background Checks For Firearm Transfers | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| March 3, 2015 | OR | HB 2700 | Requires Redistribution of Unclaimed Damages from Class Action Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| March 6, 2014 | OR | HB 4143 | Amends Payout Procedures In Class Action Lawsuits | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| July 7, 2013 | OR | SB 9 | Increases Fines for Texting or Talking While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| July 1, 2013 | OR | HB 3194 | Amends Sentencing Regulations in the Prison System | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| July 1, 2013 | OR | HB 3194 | Amends Sentencing Regulations in the Prison System | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| July 1, 2013 | OR | SB 6 | Amends Animal Welfare Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| May 28, 2013 | OR | SB 154 | Requires Signature Gathering Firms to Meet Certain Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| March 1, 2012 | OR | HB 4045 | Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| March 1, 2012 | OR | SB 1594 | Prohibits weapons on school grounds | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15) |
| June 27, 2009 | OR | HB 3508 | Implementing Measure 57 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| June 23, 2009 | OR | HB 2377 | Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| June 8, 2009 | OR | SB 519 | Mandatory Workplace Meetings | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| May 5, 2009 | OR | SB 786 | Workplace Religious Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | OR | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| June 18, 2007 | OR | SB 571 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |