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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 10, 2016 | VA | HB 1371 | Prohibits Cities from Increasing Minimum Wage or Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 34) |
| Feb. 10, 2016 | AZ | HB 2567 | Repeals State Presidential Primary Election Process | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| Feb. 10, 2016 | AZ | HB 2131 | Prohibits Local Governments from Taxing Disposable Bags | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| Feb. 9, 2016 | WI | AB 582 | Amends Shoreline Zoning and Property Regulations | Bill Passed - House (56 - 39) |
| Feb. 4, 2016 | WA | HB 1745 | Amends Certain Election Procedures | Bill Passed - House (50 - 47) |
| Feb. 4, 2016 | TN | SJR 67 | Requests that the U.S. Congress call a Constitutional Convention | Bill Passed - House (59 - 31) |
| Feb. 3, 2016 | FL | HB 675 | Requires Local Governments to Enforce Federal Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - House (80 - 38) |
| Feb. 3, 2016 | ID | H 372 | Prohibits Local Limitation on Use of Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| Jan. 29, 2016 | ID | H 425 | Expands Tax Law to Include Marriages Authorized by the Supreme Court | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Jan. 21, 2016 | MO | HJR 53 | Requires Individuals to Show Identification in Order to Vote | Joint Resolution Passed - House (116 - 40) |
| Jan. 21, 2016 | NM | HB 99 | Requires Driver's Licenses to Comply with Federal Standards | Bill Passed - House (39 - 30) |
| Jan. 21, 2016 | MO | HB 1631 | Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (114 - 39) |
| Jan. 21, 2016 | MO | HJR 53 | Requires Individuals to Show Identification in Order to Vote | Joint Resolution Passed - House (116 - 40) |
| Jan. 20, 2016 | MD | HB 980 | Authorizes Felons to Vote While on Parole | Veto Override Passed - House (85 - 56) |
| Jan. 19, 2016 | KS | HB 2151 | Establishes Regulations Regarding Grand Juries | Bill Passed - House (101 - 20) |
| Jan. 13, 2016 | National | S J Res 22 | A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of the Rule Submitted by the Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to the Definition of "Waters of the United States" Under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (253 - 166) |
| Dec. 16, 2015 | MI | SB 571 | Amends Ballot Advertising Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (58 - 48) |
| Sept. 10, 2015 | National | H Res 411 | Finding that the President Has Not Complied with Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 186) |
| Aug. 20, 2015 | CA | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 31) |
| July 28, 2015 | National | HR 427 | Regulations for the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 165) |
| July 28, 2015 | National | HR 427 | Regulations for the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 165) |
| July 23, 2015 | National | HR 3009 | Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act | Bill Passed - House (241 - 179) |
| July 21, 2015 | NC | SB 22 | Requires Approval to Remove Certain Historical Monuments | Bill Passed - House (70 - 39) |
| July 9, 2015 | SC | S 897 | Requires Removal of Confederate Flag from Capitol Grounds | Bill Passed - House (94 - 20) |
| June 3, 2015 | AL | SB 216 | Authorizes Certain Agencies to Raise Fees | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| June 3, 2015 | NH | SB 179 | Amends Residency Requirement for Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (211 - 145) |
| June 2, 2015 | CA | AB 1461 | Establishes the California New Motor Voter Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| May 26, 2015 | CA | AB 884 | Requires the Attorney General to Denote Ballot Initiatives That May Be Unconstitutional | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| May 26, 2015 | CA | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| May 21, 2015 | KS | HB 2104 | Requires Local Elections to be Moved from Spring to Fall | Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 58) |
| May 20, 2015 | National | HR 1806 | America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (217 - 205) |
| April 29, 2015 | MI | HB 4115 | 2015-2016 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (60 - 50) |
| April 28, 2015 | MI | HB 4102 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - House (59 - 51) |
| April 27, 2015 | ND | HB 1033 | Prohibits Legacy Fund Calculation in State Budget Drafts | Veto Override Passed - House (67 - 23) |
| April 23, 2015 | ND | SB 2304 | Appropriates Funds for New Governor's Residence | Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 22) |
| April 21, 2015 | ND | HB 1333 | Amends Valid Forms of Voter Identification | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| April 16, 2015 | NV | AB 252 | Establishes Legislative Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| April 16, 2015 | NC | HB 540 | Requests Billy Graham Statue in National Statuary Hall | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
| April 15, 2015 | TN | HB 615 | Establishes the Bible as the Official State Book | Bill Passed - House (55 - 38) |
| April 13, 2015 | TN | SB 1110 | Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Gun Laws | Bill Passed - House (74 - 20) |
| April 10, 2015 | WA | SB 5153 | Requires Nonprofits to Disclose Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| April 8, 2015 | MO | HB 63 | Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards | Veto Override Passed - House (111 - 49) |
| April 7, 2015 | AL | HB 193 | Authorizes Counties to Establish Administrative Programs | Bill Passed - House (76 - 17) |
| April 2, 2015 | AR | SJR 16 | Authorizes Issuance of Bonds for Economic Development Projects | Bill Passed - House (70 - 22) |
| April 2, 2015 | AR | SJR 16 | Authorizes Issuance of Bonds for Economic Development Projects | Bill Passed - House (70 - 22) |
| April 1, 2015 | NC | SB 181 | Requires the Redistricting of Wake County | Bill Passed - House (66 - 47) |
| March 31, 2015 | AZ | SB 1241 | Prohibits Local Ordinances on Disposable Containers | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| March 27, 2015 | GA | SB 139 | Prohibits Ban on Auxiliary Containers | Bill Failed - House (67 - 85) |
| March 26, 2015 | NJ | A 4326 | Requires Governor to Forecast State Revenue | Bill Passed - House (42 - 31) |
| March 20, 2015 | ID | HJM 4 | Appeals to Congress to Impeach Certain Members of the Judiciary | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |