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. 22, 2016 | OR | HB 4147 | Extends the Background Check Waiting Period for Gun Sales | Bill Passed - House (31 - 28) |
| Feb. 22, 2016 | GA | HB 859 | Authorizes Concealed Carry at Postsecondary Education Institutions | Bill Passed - House (113 - 59) |
| Feb. 19, 2016 | VA | SB 610 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Reciprocity for Out-of-State License Holders | Bill Passed - House (69 - 29) |
| Feb. 18, 2016 | AZ | HB 2446 | Amends the Definition of Prohibited Weapons | Bill Passed - House (38 - 20) |
| Feb. 17, 2016 | MS | HB 786 | Authorizes Designated Individuals to Carry Firearms in Church | Bill Passed - House (85 - 33) |
| Feb. 15, 2016 | VA | HB 1234 | Authorizes School Security Officers to Carry Firearms | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| Feb. 11, 2016 | VA | HB 1096 | Prohibits Regulation of Firearms without Legislative Authorization | Bill Passed - House (63 - 35) |
| Feb. 9, 2016 | VA | HB 560 | Amends Brandishing Conviction to Include Intent to Induce Fear | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| Feb. 8, 2016 | WV | HB 4145 | Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit | Bill Passed - House (68 - 31) |
| Feb. 4, 2016 | VA | SB 610 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Reciprocity for Out-of-State License Holders | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 3, 2016 | FL | HB 163 | Authorizes Open Carry of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (80 - 38) |
| Feb. 3, 2016 | VA | HB 766 | Authorizes Individual with Restraining Order to Carry Concealed Gun without Permit | Bill Passed - House (68 - 29) |
| Feb. 3, 2016 | FL | HB 4001 | Authorizes Open-Carry on State College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (80 - 37) |
| Feb. 1, 2016 | VA | SB 48 | Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 21) |
| Jan. 28, 2016 | FL | SB 344 | Amends Burden of Proof in Self-Defense Immunity Claims | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Jan. 26, 2016 | IN | SB 259 | Authorizes General Assembly Employees to Carry Handguns in the Statehouse | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| Dec. 3, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2915 | Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Dec. 3, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2910 | Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
| Nov. 17, 2015 | OH | HB 48 | Amends Provisions Concerning Concealed Carry of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (68 - 29) |
| Sept. 1, 2015 | CA | SB 707 | Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds | Bill Passed - House (54 - 24) |
| June 30, 2015 | ME | LD 652 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| June 24, 2015 | NC | HB 640 | Authorizes Hunting on Sundays | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 15) |
| June 9, 2015 | WI | SB 70 | Authorizes Certain Officers to Carry Firearms in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| June 1, 2015 | CA | SB 707 | Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 31, 2015 | IL | HB 352 | Authorizes Bobcat Hunting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 46) |