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
May 16, 2016 LA SB 271 Expands Eligibility for Medical Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
April 21, 2016 NH HB 1631 Amends Penalty for Possession of Marijuana "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - Senate (14 - 10)
April 20, 2016 LA SB 271 Expands Eligibility for Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
April 19, 2016 IL SB 2228 Classifies Minor Marijuana Possession as Civil Violation Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
April 19, 2016 LA SB 271 Expands Eligibility for Medical Marijuana Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16)
April 5, 2016 NE LB 643 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (30 - 15)
March 7, 2016 FL HB 307 Amends Medical Marijuana Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
Feb. 25, 2016 VT S 241 Authorizes Recreational Use of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
Feb. 25, 2016 CO SB 80 Establishes Regulations for Secured Medical Marijuana Cultivation Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
Feb. 25, 2016 UT SB 73 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
Feb. 23, 2016 SD SB 171 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
Feb. 23, 2016 WY SF 96 Classifies 3 Ounces of Marijuana Edibles as a Felony Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Feb. 23, 2016 OR SB 1511 Establishes Regulations for Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2016 UT SB 89 Authorizes the Use of Medicinal Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
Feb. 14, 2016 NM SJR 5 Authorizes the Use of Marijuana Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 24)
Jan. 21, 2016 MD SB 517 Authorizes Marijuana Paraphernalia Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
June 18, 2015 DE HB 39 Decriminalizes Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
June 3, 2015 LA HB 149 Amends Penalties for Marijuana Possesion Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
May 21, 2015 IL HB 218 Classifies Marijuana Possession as a Civil Violation Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
May 7, 2015 TX SB 339 Authorizes Medical Use of Cannabis Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
May 4, 2015 LA SB 143 Authorizes Pharmacies to Distribute Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 15, 2015 IA SF 484 Expands Medical Marijuana Uses Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 19)
March 14, 2015 NM SB 383 Authorizes Decriminalization of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 20)
March 10, 2015 HI SB 879 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3)
March 9, 2015 UT SB 259 Authorizes Use of Medical Cannabis Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/16 SB 271 Expands Eligibility for Medical Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
4/21 HB 1631 Amends Penalty for Possession of Marijuana "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - Senate (14 - 10)
4/20 SB 271 Expands Eligibility for Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
4/19 SB 2228 Classifies Minor Marijuana Possession as Civil Violation Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
4/19 SB 271 Expands Eligibility for Medical Marijuana Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16)
4/05 LB 643 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (30 - 15)
3/07 HB 307 Amends Medical Marijuana Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
2/25 S 241 Authorizes Recreational Use of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
2/25 SB 80 Establishes Regulations for Secured Medical Marijuana Cultivation Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
2/25 SB 73 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
2/23 SB 171 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
2/23 SF 96 Classifies 3 Ounces of Marijuana Edibles as a Felony Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
2/23 SB 1511 Establishes Regulations for Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
2/22 SB 89 Authorizes the Use of Medicinal Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
2/14 SJR 5 Authorizes the Use of Marijuana Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 24)
1/21 SB 517 Authorizes Marijuana Paraphernalia Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
6/18 HB 39 Decriminalizes Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
6/03 HB 149 Amends Penalties for Marijuana Possesion Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
5/21 HB 218 Classifies Marijuana Possession as a Civil Violation Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
5/07 SB 339 Authorizes Medical Use of Cannabis Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
5/04 SB 143 Authorizes Pharmacies to Distribute Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/15 SF 484 Expands Medical Marijuana Uses Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 19)
3/14 SB 383 Authorizes Decriminalization of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 20)
3/10 SB 879 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3)
3/09 SB 259 Authorizes Use of Medical Cannabis Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15)

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