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 16, 2018 | ID | H 665 | Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| March 16, 2018 | ID | H 649 | Amends Drug Use Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| March 16, 2018 | ID | H 649 | Amends Drug Use Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| March 15, 2018 | KS | HB 2042 | Authorizes Individuals Aged 18-20 to Obtain a Concealed Carry Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| March 15, 2018 | NH | SB 593 | Repeals Death Penalty | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10) |
| March 15, 2018 | NH | SB 593 | Repeals Death Penalty | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10) |
| March 15, 2018 | AL | HB 225 | Amends State Juvenile Justice Laws | Bill Passed - House (69 - 20) |
| March 15, 2018 | MO | HB 1578 | Limits Circumstances Under Which Lawsuits May Be Joined | Bill Passed - House (104 - 47) |
| March 15, 2018 | MD | HB 888 | Prohibits Certain Firearms Accessories | Bill Passed - House (128 - 7) |
| March 14, 2018 | National | HR 4909 | STOP School Violence Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (407 - 10) |
| March 14, 2018 | National | HR 4909 | STOP School Violence Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (407 - 10) |
| March 14, 2018 | National | HR 4909 | STOP School Violence Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (407 - 10) |
| March 13, 2018 | ID | S 1313 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Bill Passed - House (57 - 12) |
| March 12, 2018 | IN | SB 12 | Specifies Rules of Sex Offender Residency | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| March 12, 2018 | MD | SB 122 | Amends Criminal Law | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8) |
| March 12, 2018 | ID | H 658 | Amends Trespassing Laws | Bill Passed - House (45 - 22) |
| March 12, 2018 | MD | SB 122 | Amends Criminal Law | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8) |
| March 10, 2018 | WY | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| March 10, 2018 | WY | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| March 10, 2018 | WY | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| March 9, 2018 | WY | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| March 9, 2018 | WY | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| March 9, 2018 | WY | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| March 9, 2018 | ID | H 665 | Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |
| March 9, 2018 | ID | H 665 | Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/16 | H 665 | Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| 3/16 | H 649 | Amends Drug Use Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| 3/16 | H 649 | Amends Drug Use Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| 3/15 | HB 2042 | Authorizes Individuals Aged 18-20 to Obtain a Concealed Carry Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 3/15 | SB 593 | Repeals Death Penalty | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 3/15 | SB 593 | Repeals Death Penalty | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 3/15 | HB 225 | Amends State Juvenile Justice Laws | Bill Passed - House (69 - 20) |
| 3/15 | HB 1578 | Limits Circumstances Under Which Lawsuits May Be Joined | Bill Passed - House (104 - 47) |
| 3/15 | HB 888 | Prohibits Certain Firearms Accessories | Bill Passed - House (128 - 7) |
| 3/14 | HR 4909 | STOP School Violence Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (407 - 10) |
| 3/14 | HR 4909 | STOP School Violence Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (407 - 10) |
| 3/14 | HR 4909 | STOP School Violence Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (407 - 10) |
| 3/13 | S 1313 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Bill Passed - House (57 - 12) |
| 3/12 | SB 12 | Specifies Rules of Sex Offender Residency | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| 3/12 | SB 122 | Amends Criminal Law | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8) |
| 3/12 | H 658 | Amends Trespassing Laws | Bill Passed - House (45 - 22) |
| 3/12 | SB 122 | Amends Criminal Law | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8) |
| 3/10 | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| 3/10 | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| 3/10 | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| 3/09 | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 3/09 | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 3/09 | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 3/09 | H 665 | Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |
| 3/09 | H 665 | Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |