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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 2016 | LA | SB 227 | Authorizes REAL ID Driver's Licenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate |
| May 25, 2016 | OH | SB 296 | Requires Bond for Extended Polling Hours | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| May 23, 2016 | CA | SB 1190 | Prohibits Coastal Commission from Engaging in Ex Parte Communications | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 19, 2016 | IL | SB 250 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 16) |
| May 10, 2016 | MI | SB 853 | Prohibits Cities from Restricting Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 4, 2016 | AZ | SB 1268 | Exempts Cities from Assured Water Supply Requirement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| May 3, 2016 | MO | HB 1631 | Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| April 21, 2016 | IL | SJRCA 29 | Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28) |
| April 21, 2016 | IL | SJRCA 29 | Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28) |
| April 21, 2016 | IL | SJRCA 30 | Amends Redistricting Process | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19) |
| April 21, 2016 | IL | SJRCA 30 | Amends Redistricting Process | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19) |
| April 19, 2016 | TN | SJR 467 | Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| April 13, 2016 | NE | LB 580 | Establishes Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| April 13, 2016 | NE | LB 580 | Establishes Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| April 11, 2016 | ME | LD 1600 | Requires Legislative Approval for National Monument Designations | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 6, 2016 | MO | SCR 46 | Prohibits a Wage Range Increase for Personal Care Attendants | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| April 4, 2016 | TN | HB 615 | Establishes the Bible as the Official State Book | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 8) |
| April 4, 2016 | NE | LB 10 | Establishes Winner-Take-All Election System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| April 4, 2016 | LA | SB 25 | Authorizes Legislature to Introduce Fiscal Bills Every Year | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
| March 29, 2016 | RI | H 7024 | Authorizes Online Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
| March 29, 2016 | CO | SB 157 | Requires Suspension of Clean Power Plan Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| March 29, 2016 | LA | SB 227 | Authorizes REAL ID Driver's Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| March 29, 2016 | LA | SB 164 | Amends Absentee Voting Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
| March 23, 2016 | GA | SB 323 | Increases Deadline for Disclosure of Records of Intercollegiate Sports Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 22) |
| March 22, 2016 | KS | SB 439 | Specifies Qualifications for Impeachment | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |