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
March 11, 2016 SD SB 172 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
March 9, 2016 SC H 3579 Appropriates Funds for Highways Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
March 7, 2016 VA HB 1090 Rescinds Funds from Certain Abortion Clinics Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
March 7, 2016 UT SB 246 Authorizes Infrastructure Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
March 2, 2016 IL SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
March 2, 2016 MS SB 2238 Prohibits the Appropriation of Funds to Planned Parenthood Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 17)
March 2, 2016 WV SB 705 Reduces Severance Tax Rate on Oil, Natural Gas and Coal Production Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
March 1, 2016 SD HB 1182 Increases Sales Tax Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Feb. 26, 2016 WA SB 6246 2016-2017 Supplemental Budget Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
Feb. 25, 2016 AL SB 125 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
Feb. 24, 2016 SD SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
Feb. 22, 2016 AZ SB 1402 Amends Tax Rate for Property Belonging to Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
Feb. 16, 2016 WA SB 6195 Amends Education Funding System Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
Feb. 2, 2016 KY SB 7 Prohibits Appropriation of Local Funds for Certain Family Planning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
Jan. 27, 2016 OH HB 294 Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Certain Abortion Services Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
Jan. 21, 2016 MD SB 190 Amends Taxable Price for Sale or Use of Accommodations Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
Jan. 20, 2016 WI AB 310 Prohibits a Public Entity from Distributing Certain Funds to Abortion Clinics Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
Dec. 18, 2015 National HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 33)
Dec. 18, 2015 National HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 33)
Dec. 3, 2015 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
Nov. 5, 2015 National HR 2685 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
Nov. 3, 2015 AK SB 3001 Appropriates Funds for Liquid Natural Gas (AKLNG) Pipeline Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3)
Oct. 29, 2015 National HR 1314 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 35)
Oct. 21, 2015 OH SB 214 Amends Healthcare Funds Distribution Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
Oct. 7, 2015 National HR 1735 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 27)
Oct. 1, 2015 National HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 44)
Oct. 1, 2015 National HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 44)
Sept. 30, 2015 National HR 719 Continuing Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
Sept. 24, 2015 National S Amdt 2669 Rescinds Funds from Planned Parenthood Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 52)
Sept. 16, 2015 AL HB 1 2015-2016 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
Sept. 15, 2015 AL HB 3 Increases Cigarette Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Sept. 15, 2015 AL HB 8 Amends Budget for the Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
Sept. 9, 2015 IL SB 2046 Appropriates Funds for the Department of Public Health Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 19)
July 30, 2015 National HR 22 Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
July 7, 2015 WI SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
July 3, 2015 OR SB 567 Appropriates Excess Revenue to the Education Stability Fund Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (11 - 18)
July 3, 2015 OR SB 567 Appropriates Excess Revenue to the Education Stability Fund Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (11 - 18)
June 30, 2015 PA HB 1192 Establishes State Budget for FY 2015-2016 Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
June 25, 2015 OH HB 64 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 9)
June 24, 2015 NH HB 550 Authorizes Businesses to Not Declare Profits from Interest Sales Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
June 23, 2015 RI H 5900 Establishes Budget for FY 2015-2016 Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
June 11, 2015 AK HB 2001 2015-2016 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 3)
June 4, 2015 AL HB 135 2015-2016 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
June 4, 2015 NH HB 1 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
June 3, 2015 CT HB 7061 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17)
June 1, 2015 AK HB 2001 2015-2016 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4)
May 29, 2015 IL HB 4151 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24)
May 5, 2015 National S Con Res 11 An Original Concurrent Resolution Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2016 and Setting Forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2017 Through 2025 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 48)
May 5, 2015 HI SB 1028 Appropriates Funds for the Hawaii Health Connector Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 2)
May 5, 2015 HI HB 134 Authorizes Rail Tax Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 4)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/11 SB 172 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
3/09 H 3579 Appropriates Funds for Highways Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
3/07 HB 1090 Rescinds Funds from Certain Abortion Clinics Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
3/07 SB 246 Authorizes Infrastructure Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
3/02 SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
3/02 SB 2238 Prohibits the Appropriation of Funds to Planned Parenthood Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 17)
3/02 SB 705 Reduces Severance Tax Rate on Oil, Natural Gas and Coal Production Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
3/01 HB 1182 Increases Sales Tax Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
2/26 SB 6246 2016-2017 Supplemental Budget Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
2/25 SB 125 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
2/24 SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
2/22 SB 1402 Amends Tax Rate for Property Belonging to Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
2/16 SB 6195 Amends Education Funding System Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
2/02 SB 7 Prohibits Appropriation of Local Funds for Certain Family Planning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
1/27 HB 294 Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Certain Abortion Services Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
1/21 SB 190 Amends Taxable Price for Sale or Use of Accommodations Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
1/20 AB 310 Prohibits a Public Entity from Distributing Certain Funds to Abortion Clinics Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
12/18 HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 33)
12/18 HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 33)
12/03 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
11/05 HR 2685 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
11/03 SB 3001 Appropriates Funds for Liquid Natural Gas (AKLNG) Pipeline Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3)
10/29 HR 1314 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 35)
10/21 SB 214 Amends Healthcare Funds Distribution Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
10/07 HR 1735 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 27)
10/01 HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 44)
10/01 HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 44)
9/30 HR 719 Continuing Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
9/24 S Amdt 2669 Rescinds Funds from Planned Parenthood Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 52)
9/16 HB 1 2015-2016 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
9/15 HB 3 Increases Cigarette Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
9/15 HB 8 Amends Budget for the Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
9/09 SB 2046 Appropriates Funds for the Department of Public Health Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 19)
7/30 HR 22 Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
7/07 SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
7/03 SB 567 Appropriates Excess Revenue to the Education Stability Fund Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (11 - 18)
7/03 SB 567 Appropriates Excess Revenue to the Education Stability Fund Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (11 - 18)
6/30 HB 1192 Establishes State Budget for FY 2015-2016 Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
6/25 HB 64 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 9)
6/24 HB 550 Authorizes Businesses to Not Declare Profits from Interest Sales Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
6/23 H 5900 Establishes Budget for FY 2015-2016 Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
6/11 HB 2001 2015-2016 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 3)
6/04 HB 135 2015-2016 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
6/04 HB 1 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
6/03 HB 7061 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17)
6/01 HB 2001 2015-2016 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4)
5/29 HB 4151 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24)
5/05 S Con Res 11 An Original Concurrent Resolution Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2016 and Setting Forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2017 Through 2025 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 48)
5/05 SB 1028 Appropriates Funds for the Hawaii Health Connector Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 2)
5/05 HB 134 Authorizes Rail Tax Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 4)

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