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, 2017 | National | HR 1181 | Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (240 - 175) |
| March 16, 2017 | TN | HB 688 | Authorizes Carry of Firearms on Boats | Bill Passed - House (79 - 12) |
| March 15, 2017 | NM | SB 259 | Prohibits Certain Individuals from Possessing or Purchasing Firearms | Bill Passed - House (43 - 22) |
| March 15, 2017 | NM | SB 121 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (44 - 23) |
| March 15, 2017 | FL | SB 128 | Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| March 15, 2017 | FL | SB 128 | Authorizes Immunity for Self-Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| March 13, 2017 | MO | HB 441 | Establishes Protections for Student Journalists | Bill Passed - House (148 - 6) |
| March 10, 2017 | SC | H 3643 | Requires Public Universities to Adopt Antisemitism Policy | Bill Passed - House (103 - 3) |
| March 10, 2017 | National | HR 720 | Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (230 - 188) |
| March 9, 2017 | National | HR 985 | Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (220 - 201) |
| March 9, 2017 | UT | HB 99 | Amends Bigamy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| March 9, 2017 | IA | HF 516 | Requires Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| March 9, 2017 | NM | SB 374 | Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| March 8, 2017 | MN | HF 3 | Requires REAL ID Compliance | Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 38) |
| March 7, 2017 | KY | HB 14 | Classifies First-Responders as a Protected Class Under Hate Crimes Law | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| March 7, 2017 | WA | HB 1371 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (52 - 45) |
| March 7, 2017 | IA | HF 517 | Authorizes Use of Deadly Force when Deemed Necessary | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| March 6, 2017 | KY | SB 17 | Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| March 4, 2017 | NM | SB 259 | Prohibits Certain Individuals from Possessing or Purchasing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| March 2, 2017 | MS | HB 638 | Authorizes Alternative Methods of Execution | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| March 2, 2017 | MO | SB 43 | Requires Certain Changes to Discrimination Lawsuit Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| March 2, 2017 | UT | HB 259 | Authorizes the Discharge of Firearm for Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (53 - 15) |
| March 2, 2017 | UT | HB 259 | Authorizes the Discharge of Firearm for Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (53 - 15) |
| March 2, 2017 | WA | SB 5223 | Prohibits Localities from Permitting Heroin Injection Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 2, 2017 | WA | SB 5223 | Prohibits Localities from Permitting Heroin Injection Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |