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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
July 7, 2023 | PA | HB 1394 | Prohibits Hair Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (182 - 21) |
May 10, 2023 | PA | SB 245 | Establishes New Rules Regarding Eligibility for Welfare Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
Oct. 4, 2021 | PA | HB 1893 | Expands Access to COVID-19 Data in Order to be Available to the Public | Bill Passed - House (113 - 87) |
June 24, 2021 | PA | SB 618 | Prohibits Vaccine Passports and Limits Powers of the Secretary of Health | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
June 23, 2021 | PA | SB 618 | Prohibits Vaccine Passports and Limits Powers of the Secretary of Health | Bill Passed - House (112 - 89) |
Sept. 15, 2020 | PA | HB 2530 | Prohibits Governor from Disallowing Gatherings at Places of Worship | Bill Passed - House (149 - 53) |
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 | HB 1841 | Requires Background Checks for Police Officers | Bill Passed - House (201 - 0) |
Oct. 17, 2018 | PA | SB 554 | Establishes Protections for Juvenile Human Trafficking Victims | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0) |
Sept. 25, 2018 | PA | SB 261 | Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse | Bill Passed - House (173 - 21) |
April 5, 2017 | PA | HB 741 | Reinstates Mandatory Minimum Sentences | Bill Passed - House (122 - 67) |
Feb. 1, 2017 | PA | SB 261 | Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0) |
June 13, 2012 | PA | HB 2400 | Expands Wiretapping Authority | Bill Passed - House (145 - 52) |
March 14, 2012 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
March 7, 2012 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
June 23, 2011 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - House (108 - 88) |
March 4, 2011 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | |
Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
Oct. 14, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
Oct. 5, 2010 | PA | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
April 22, 2009 | PA | A771 | Requiring Hands Free Devices for Cell Phones in Cars | Amendment Rejected - House (95 - 100) |
June 25, 2008 | PA | A 7738 | Real ID Biometric Data | Bill Failed - House (92 - 108) |
June 10, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38) |
July 16, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
July 16, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (141 - 62) |
June 26, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
June 25, 2007 | PA | A 2062 | Exceptions to Clean Indoor Air Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
June 21, 2006 | PA | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
June 6, 2006 | PA | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
7/07 | HB 1394 | Prohibits Hair Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (182 - 21) |
5/10 | SB 245 | Establishes New Rules Regarding Eligibility for Welfare Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
10/04 | HB 1893 | Expands Access to COVID-19 Data in Order to be Available to the Public | Bill Passed - House (113 - 87) |
6/24 | SB 618 | Prohibits Vaccine Passports and Limits Powers of the Secretary of Health | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
6/23 | SB 618 | Prohibits Vaccine Passports and Limits Powers of the Secretary of Health | Bill Passed - House (112 - 89) |
9/15 | HB 2530 | Prohibits Governor from Disallowing Gatherings at Places of Worship | Bill Passed - House (149 - 53) |
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 | HB 1841 | Requires Background Checks for Police Officers | Bill Passed - House (201 - 0) |
10/17 | SB 554 | Establishes Protections for Juvenile Human Trafficking Victims | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0) |
9/25 | SB 261 | Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse | Bill Passed - House (173 - 21) |
4/05 | HB 741 | Reinstates Mandatory Minimum Sentences | Bill Passed - House (122 - 67) |
2/01 | SB 261 | Increases the Statute of Limitations for Victims of Sexual Abuse | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0) |
6/13 | HB 2400 | Expands Wiretapping Authority | Bill Passed - House (145 - 52) |
3/14 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
3/07 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
6/23 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - House (108 - 88) |
3/04 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | |
11/15 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
10/14 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
10/05 | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
4/22 | A771 | Requiring Hands Free Devices for Cell Phones in Cars | Amendment Rejected - House (95 - 100) |
6/25 | A 7738 | Real ID Biometric Data | Bill Failed - House (92 - 108) |
6/10 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38) |
7/16 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
7/16 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (141 - 62) |
6/26 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
6/25 | A 2062 | Exceptions to Clean Indoor Air Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
6/21 | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
6/06 | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61) |