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. 4, 2016 | MO | SJR 19 | Amends Membership Composition of the Conservation Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Feb. 4, 2016 | MO | SJR 19 | Amends Membership Composition of the Conservation Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Feb. 1, 2016 | VA | SB 106 | Authorizes No-Excuse In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Jan. 26, 2016 | VA | SJ 1 | Authorizes Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Jan. 25, 2016 | MO | SCR 46 | Prohibits a Wage Range Increase for Personal Care Attendants | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| Jan. 21, 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 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 40) |
| Jan. 21, 2016 | NH | SB 4 | Requires an Individual to Live in the State for 30 Days to be Eligible to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 11) |
| Jan. 19, 2016 | National | PN 367 | Nomination of Wilhelmina Wright to Be U.S. District Judge | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 36) |
| Jan. 19, 2016 | KY | SB 10 | Requires Gubernatorial Elections to be Held on Even-Numbered Years | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| Jan. 12, 2016 | National | S 2232 | Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| Dec. 16, 2015 | MI | SB 571 | Amends Ballot Advertising Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| Oct. 27, 2015 | National | S 754 | Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) of 2015 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 21) |
| Aug. 17, 2015 | CA | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| May 27, 2015 | OH | HB 153 | Amends Date of Presidential Primary | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| May 12, 2015 | NV | SB 421 | Amends Primary Elections Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| May 11, 2015 | MN | SF 455 | Amends Elections Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 28) |
| May 5, 2015 | MI | SB 133 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| May 4, 2015 | TX | HB 40 | Specifies That The State Will Regulate Oil and Gas Operations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| April 27, 2015 | IN | SB 466 | Amends Voting Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| April 23, 2015 | National | PN 4 | Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
| April 23, 2015 | MN | SF 878 | Authorizes Gun Silencers and Expands Ex-Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22) |
| April 22, 2015 | ND | SB 2304 | Appropriates Funds for New Governor's Residence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 19) |
| April 14, 2015 | PA | SB 333 | Prohibits Local Paid Leave Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| April 8, 2015 | MO | HB 63 | Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| April 6, 2015 | ND | HB 1181 | Requires Special Election to Fill Vacant Senate Seat | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 6, 2015 | ND | HB 1181 | Requires Special Election to Fill Vacant Senate Seat | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 6, 2015 | ND | HB 1181 | Requires Special Election to Fill Vacant Senate Seat | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 2, 2015 | GA | SB 127 | Exempts Certain Public Officials from Late Filing Fees | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (22 - 33) |
| March 30, 2015 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Signature Requirements for Political Candidate Nominations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 26, 2015 | NH | SB 179 | Amends Residency Requirement for Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 10) |
| March 24, 2015 | ND | HCR 3015 | Requests a Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| March 19, 2015 | IA | SF 331 | Authorizes Online Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| March 18, 2015 | IA | SF 437 | Authorizes Employees to Take Unpaid Leave to Participate in a Presidential Precinct Caucus | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| March 16, 2015 | NJ | S 2181 | Increases Oversight of the Port Authority | Veto Override Failed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| March 16, 2015 | ID | S 1092 | Prohibits Local Knife Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 12, 2015 | MO | HB 63 | Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
| March 12, 2015 | MT | HB 203 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Federal Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| March 12, 2015 | NC | SB 181 | Requires the Redistricting of Wake County | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| March 11, 2015 | AZ | SCR 1001 | Amends Citizens Clean Elections Fund | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 11, 2015 | AZ | SCR 1001 | Amends Citizens Clean Elections Fund | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 11, 2015 | AZ | SB 1330 | Prohibits State Employees from Enforcing Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 11, 2015 | OK | SB 809 | Amends Local Municipalities' Ability to Regulate Oil and Gas Production | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 7) |
| March 11, 2015 | OK | SJR 4 | Requests Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| March 11, 2015 | OK | SJR 4 | Requests Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| March 11, 2015 | AK | SB 6 | Exempts State from Daylight Saving Time | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| March 11, 2015 | OK | SJR 4 | Requests Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| March 9, 2015 | KY | HB 203 | Increases Limit on Individual Campaign Donations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| March 6, 2015 | AZ | SB 1340 | Requires Photo Identification for Early Ballot Volunteers | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| March 5, 2015 | OR | HB 2177 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| March 3, 2015 | OK | SB 315 | Amends Absentee Ballot Application Procedure | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |