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
Feb. 22, 2017 NV IP 1 Requires Automatic Voter Registration when Applying for Driver's License Bill Passed - House (27 - 15)
Feb. 2, 2017 National H J Res 40 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 Joint Resolution Passed - House (235 - 180)
April 2, 2015 IN SB 50 Specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Does Not Authorize Discrimination Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 30)
April 2, 2015 GA SB 94 Amends Certain Law Enforcement Procedures Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 65)
March 12, 2015 NH HB 403 Repeals Buffer Zone Around Abortion Clinics Bill Passed - House (170 - 159)
Feb. 23, 2015 ND HB 1328 Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Without a Warrant Bill Passed - House (74 - 19)
Feb. 19, 2015 MO HB 30 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 37)
Feb. 19, 2015 MO HJR 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 39)
Feb. 13, 2015 AR SB 202 Prohibits New Classes of Protected Individuals Bill Passed - House (58 - 21)
Dec. 4, 2014 MI HB 5958 Prohibits Government from Burdening an Individual's Exercise of Religion Bill Passed - House (59 - 50)
May 30, 2014 National H Amdt 763 Prohibits Funds from Being Used to Require Journalists to Disclose Sources Amendment Adopted - House (225 - 183)
Feb. 20, 2014 AZ SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - House (33 - 27)
Jan. 28, 2014 IN HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40)
Jan. 27, 2014 NY A 8070 Requires Equal Pay Bill Passed - House (88 - 43)
May 20, 2013 NV SB 243 Requires DNA Samples for Felonies Bill Passed - House (29 - 9)
May 13, 2013 VT S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65)
May 1, 2013 VT S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Bill Passed - House (81 - 64)
April 23, 2013 CO HB 1251 Requires DNA Samples for Misdemeanors Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
April 4, 2013 MO HB 46 Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aircrafts Bill Passed - House (87 - 66)
April 3, 2013 MD SB 281 Amends Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - House (78 - 61)
April 3, 2013 CT SB 1160 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - House (105 - 44)
April 1, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (52 - 45)
March 26, 2013 KY HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Veto Override Passed - House (79 - 15)
March 25, 2013 IA HF 527 Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors Bill Passed - House (79 - 18)
March 20, 2013 OH SB 47 Prohibits Collection of Petition Signatures after Filing Bill Passed - House (57 - 38)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/22 IP 1 Requires Automatic Voter Registration when Applying for Driver's License Bill Passed - House (27 - 15)
2/02 H J Res 40 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 Joint Resolution Passed - House (235 - 180)
4/02 SB 50 Specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Does Not Authorize Discrimination Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 30)
4/02 SB 94 Amends Certain Law Enforcement Procedures Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 65)
3/12 HB 403 Repeals Buffer Zone Around Abortion Clinics Bill Passed - House (170 - 159)
2/23 HB 1328 Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Without a Warrant Bill Passed - House (74 - 19)
2/19 HB 30 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 37)
2/19 HJR 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 39)
2/13 SB 202 Prohibits New Classes of Protected Individuals Bill Passed - House (58 - 21)
12/04 HB 5958 Prohibits Government from Burdening an Individual's Exercise of Religion Bill Passed - House (59 - 50)
5/30 H Amdt 763 Prohibits Funds from Being Used to Require Journalists to Disclose Sources Amendment Adopted - House (225 - 183)
2/20 SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - House (33 - 27)
1/28 HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40)
1/27 A 8070 Requires Equal Pay Bill Passed - House (88 - 43)
5/20 SB 243 Requires DNA Samples for Felonies Bill Passed - House (29 - 9)
5/13 S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65)
5/01 S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Bill Passed - House (81 - 64)
4/23 HB 1251 Requires DNA Samples for Misdemeanors Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
4/04 HB 46 Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aircrafts Bill Passed - House (87 - 66)
4/03 SB 281 Amends Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - House (78 - 61)
4/03 SB 1160 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - House (105 - 44)
4/01 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (52 - 45)
3/26 HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Veto Override Passed - House (79 - 15)
3/25 HF 527 Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors Bill Passed - House (79 - 18)
3/20 SB 47 Prohibits Collection of Petition Signatures after Filing Bill Passed - House (57 - 38)

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