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 8, 2016 | IA | SF 2284 | Amends Definition of Hate Crime to Include Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| March 4, 2016 | WV | HB 4145 | Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit | Veto Override Passed - House (64 - 33) |
| March 3, 2016 | AZ | SB 1257 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms in Public Buildings | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 3, 2016 | SC | H 4701 | Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Restrictions on Firearms | Bill Passed - House (64 - 30) |
| March 3, 2016 | MS | SB 2306 | Prohibits Establishment of Sanctuary Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| March 3, 2016 | FL | HB 1411 | Amends Requirements for Disposal of Fetal Tissue | Bill Passed - House (74 - 44) |
| March 2, 2016 | UT | SB 189 | Repeals Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 12) |
| March 2, 2016 | UT | SB 107 | Amends Definition of a Hate Crime | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17) |
| March 1, 2016 | CO | HB 1231 | Limits Use of Automated Vehicle Identification Systems | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| March 1, 2016 | MS | SB 2237 | Establishes Identity Protections for Execution Teams | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| March 1, 2016 | AZ | HB 2524 | Authorizes Compacts with Other States to Develop Firearm Transfer Laws | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| March 1, 2016 | MS | HB 738 | Amends Attorney General Hiring and Filing Oversight Processes | Bill Passed - House (61 - 60) |
| Feb. 29, 2016 | VA | HB 560 | Amends Brandishing Conviction to Include Intent to Induce Fear | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Feb. 29, 2016 | VA | HB 560 | Amends Brandishing Conviction to Include Intent to Induce Fear | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Feb. 29, 2016 | AZ | HB 2338 | Authorizes Concealed Carry near Schools | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| Feb. 29, 2016 | MS | HB 782 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Law Relating to Firearms | Bill Passed - House (75 - 46) |
| Feb. 26, 2016 | ID | S 1276 | Expands List of Crimes that Prohibit an Individual from Possessing Firearm | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 29) |
| Feb. 26, 2016 | ID | S 1276 | Expands List of Crimes that Prohibit an Individual from Possessing Firearm | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 29) |
| Feb. 26, 2016 | National | HR 2406 | Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (242 - 161) |
| Feb. 25, 2016 | IA | SF 2289 | Expands Criminal Offenses for Animal Mistreatment | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 24, 2016 | WV | HB 4145 | Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 31) |
| Feb. 23, 2016 | SD | HB 1206 | Authorizes the Use of Handguns to Hunt Game Birds | Bill Failed - House (23 - 44) |
| Feb. 23, 2016 | WY | SF 96 | Classifies 3 Ounces of Marijuana Edibles as a Felony | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| Feb. 23, 2016 | CO | SB 17 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Firearm Without a Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 23, 2016 | IA | HF 2281 | Authorizes Individuals Under the age of 14 to Posses a Handgun | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |