Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
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)
Feb. 24, 2015 IA SF 219 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
Feb. 9, 2015 CO SB 65 Prohibits Withdrawing Public Assistance Funds at Certain Places Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Dec. 10, 2014 MI HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Dec. 10, 2014 MI SB 275 Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Sept. 24, 2014 PA SB 1182 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
Aug. 21, 2014 CA SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
June 20, 2014 NY A 6357E Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10)
May 28, 2014 CA SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 16, 2014 MN SF 2470 Establishes a Patient Registry for Medical Marijuana Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 16)
May 1, 2014 IA SF 2360 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
April 24, 2014 IA SF 2360 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
April 17, 2014 TN HB 1574 Limits Amount of Pseudoephedrine an Individual Can Purchase Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 7)
April 7, 2014 TN SB 1391 Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
March 14, 2014 MD SB 364 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8)
March 13, 2014 IN HB 1351 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 24)
March 8, 2014 WA SB 5887 Establishes Medical and Retail Marijuana Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
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)
2/24 SF 219 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
2/09 SB 65 Prohibits Withdrawing Public Assistance Funds at Certain Places Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
12/10 HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
12/10 SB 275 Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
9/24 SB 1182 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
8/21 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
6/20 A 6357E Authorizes Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10)
5/28 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/16 SF 2470 Establishes a Patient Registry for Medical Marijuana Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 16)
5/01 SF 2360 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
4/24 SF 2360 Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
4/17 HB 1574 Limits Amount of Pseudoephedrine an Individual Can Purchase Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 7)
4/07 SB 1391 Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
3/14 SB 364 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8)
3/13 HB 1351 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 24)
3/08 SB 5887 Establishes Medical and Retail Marijuana Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)

arrow_upward