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 24, 2015 | MD | SB 190 | Amends Taxable Price for Sale or Use of Accommodations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| March 20, 2015 | MT | HB 2 | 2015-2017 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| March 19, 2015 | NY | S 3709 | Limits Property Tax Increases for New York City | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 15) |
| March 16, 2015 | NJ | S 2791 | Environmental Protection Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| March 13, 2015 | KS | SB 7 | Appropriates Funds to the Department of Education | Bill Passed - House (64 - 57) |
| March 12, 2015 | UT | HB 362 | Amends Motor Fuel Tax | Conference Report Adopted - House (44 - 29) |
| March 12, 2015 | UT | HB 362 | Amends Motor Fuel Tax | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 8) |
| March 12, 2015 | ID | H 75 | Exempts Prescription Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses from Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| March 12, 2015 | AK | HB 72 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - House (25 - 14) |
| March 11, 2015 | UT | SB 97 | Increases Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
| March 11, 2015 | AZ | HB 2069 | Reduces State Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - House (31 - 28) |
| March 11, 2015 | MI | HB 4122 | Prohibits Additional Funding for In-State Media Productions | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| March 10, 2015 | IA | HF 352 | Requires State Agencies to Use a Zero-Base Budget | Bill Passed - House (57 - 42) |
| March 9, 2015 | UT | HB 362 | Amends Motor Fuel Tax | Bill Passed - House (51 - 22) |
| March 6, 2015 | WY | SF 145 | Appropriates Funds for Uncompensated Charity Care | Conference Report Adopted - House (42 - 15) |
| March 6, 2015 | WY | SF 145 | Appropriates Funds for Uncompensated Charity Care | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 7) |
| March 6, 2015 | AR | HJR 1003 | Requests a Constitutional Convention | Bill Passed - House (52 - 33) |
| March 5, 2015 | NV | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - House (23 - 19) |
| March 5, 2015 | NV | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - House (23 - 19) |
| March 5, 2015 | GA | HB 170 | Amends Gasoline Tax | Bill Passed - House (123 - 46) |
| March 4, 2015 | WY | SF 145 | Appropriates Funds for Uncompensated Charity Care | Bill Passed - House (50 - 9) |
| March 2, 2015 | WA | SB 5987 | Increases Gas Tax and Amends Transportation Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Feb. 27, 2015 | National | S J Res 35 | Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2015 | Bill Failed - House (203 - 224) |
| Feb. 25, 2015 | ND | SB 2254 | Amends School District Funding Calculations to Include Early Childhood Education Programs | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 31) |
| Feb. 25, 2015 | ND | SB 2151 | Appropriates Funds for Early Childhood Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| Feb. 25, 2015 | MS | HB 1629 | Repeals State Income Tax | Bill Passed - House (83 - 32) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 171 | Amends Growth Percentage for Budget | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IN | HB 1001 | 2015-2017 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (69 - 29) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | SD | SB 189 | Establishes Tax Credit Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2015 | NH | HB 677 | Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Abortion Services | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 142) |
| Feb. 18, 2015 | AZ | HB 2173 | Establishes Gold and Silver as Legal Tender | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| Feb. 17, 2015 | SD | HJR 1001 | Requests a Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| Feb. 16, 2015 | NV | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| Feb. 16, 2015 | NV | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| Feb. 16, 2015 | ND | HB 1437 | Extends Triggered Oil Extraction Tax Rate | Bill Passed - House (79 - 14) |
| Feb. 16, 2015 | ND | SB 2223 | Exempts Certain Clothing from Sales Tax | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 27) |
| Feb. 14, 2015 | MT | SB 200 | Restructures Income Tax Brackets | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| Feb. 13, 2015 | National | HR 636 | America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (272 - 142) |
| Feb. 12, 2015 | National | HR 644 | America Gives More Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (279 - 137) |
| Feb. 12, 2015 | NC | SB 20 | Restructures the Motor Fuel Tax Rate and the State Tax Code | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| Feb. 11, 2015 | MS | SB 2389 | Authorizes Joining Interstate Compact for a Balanced Federal Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Feb. 11, 2015 | WY | SF 145 | Appropriates Funds for Uncompensated Charity Care | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| Feb. 10, 2015 | IA | SF 171 | Amends Growth Percentage for Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | AZ | HB 2128 | Exempts Religious Organizations from Certain Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| Feb. 4, 2015 | NC | SB 14 | Transfers Funds to Rules Review Commission for Litigation Expenses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| Feb. 4, 2015 | MO | HB 259 | Amends Dairy Industry Laws | Bill Passed - House (110 - 49) |
| Jan. 14, 2015 | National | HR 240 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (236 - 191) |
| Dec. 19, 2014 | MI | HB 5477 | Increases Gasoline and Diesel Tax | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/24 | SB 190 | Amends Taxable Price for Sale or Use of Accommodations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 3/20 | HB 2 | 2015-2017 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| 3/19 | S 3709 | Limits Property Tax Increases for New York City | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 15) |
| 3/16 | S 2791 | Environmental Protection Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 3/13 | SB 7 | Appropriates Funds to the Department of Education | Bill Passed - House (64 - 57) |
| 3/12 | HB 362 | Amends Motor Fuel Tax | Conference Report Adopted - House (44 - 29) |
| 3/12 | HB 362 | Amends Motor Fuel Tax | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 3/12 | H 75 | Exempts Prescription Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses from Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 3/12 | HB 72 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - House (25 - 14) |
| 3/11 | SB 97 | Increases Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
| 3/11 | HB 2069 | Reduces State Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - House (31 - 28) |
| 3/11 | HB 4122 | Prohibits Additional Funding for In-State Media Productions | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| 3/10 | HF 352 | Requires State Agencies to Use a Zero-Base Budget | Bill Passed - House (57 - 42) |
| 3/09 | HB 362 | Amends Motor Fuel Tax | Bill Passed - House (51 - 22) |
| 3/06 | SF 145 | Appropriates Funds for Uncompensated Charity Care | Conference Report Adopted - House (42 - 15) |
| 3/06 | SF 145 | Appropriates Funds for Uncompensated Charity Care | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 3/06 | HJR 1003 | Requests a Constitutional Convention | Bill Passed - House (52 - 33) |
| 3/05 | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - House (23 - 19) |
| 3/05 | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - House (23 - 19) |
| 3/05 | HB 170 | Amends Gasoline Tax | Bill Passed - House (123 - 46) |
| 3/04 | SF 145 | Appropriates Funds for Uncompensated Charity Care | Bill Passed - House (50 - 9) |
| 3/02 | SB 5987 | Increases Gas Tax and Amends Transportation Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 2/27 | S J Res 35 | Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2015 | Bill Failed - House (203 - 224) |
| 2/25 | SB 2254 | Amends School District Funding Calculations to Include Early Childhood Education Programs | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 31) |
| 2/25 | SB 2151 | Appropriates Funds for Early Childhood Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 2/25 | HB 1629 | Repeals State Income Tax | Bill Passed - House (83 - 32) |
| 2/24 | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
| 2/24 | SF 171 | Amends Growth Percentage for Budget | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
| 2/24 | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 2/24 | HB 1001 | 2015-2017 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (69 - 29) |
| 2/24 | SB 189 | Establishes Tax Credit Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 2/18 | HB 677 | Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Abortion Services | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 142) |
| 2/18 | HB 2173 | Establishes Gold and Silver as Legal Tender | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| 2/17 | HJR 1001 | Requests a Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 2/16 | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 2/16 | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 2/16 | HB 1437 | Extends Triggered Oil Extraction Tax Rate | Bill Passed - House (79 - 14) |
| 2/16 | SB 2223 | Exempts Certain Clothing from Sales Tax | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 27) |
| 2/14 | SB 200 | Restructures Income Tax Brackets | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 2/13 | HR 636 | America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (272 - 142) |
| 2/12 | HR 644 | America Gives More Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (279 - 137) |
| 2/12 | SB 20 | Restructures the Motor Fuel Tax Rate and the State Tax Code | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 2/11 | SB 2389 | Authorizes Joining Interstate Compact for a Balanced Federal Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 2/11 | SF 145 | Appropriates Funds for Uncompensated Charity Care | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 2/10 | SF 171 | Amends Growth Percentage for Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 2/05 | HB 2128 | Exempts Religious Organizations from Certain Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| 2/04 | SB 14 | Transfers Funds to Rules Review Commission for Litigation Expenses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| 2/04 | HB 259 | Amends Dairy Industry Laws | Bill Passed - House (110 - 49) |
| 1/14 | HR 240 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (236 - 191) |
| 12/19 | HB 5477 | Increases Gasoline and Diesel Tax | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 15) |