Key Votes

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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
Nov. 6, 2025 MI HB 5080 Increases the Maximum Sentence for Disarming a Police Officer Bill Passed - House (75 - 25)
Nov. 6, 2025 MI HB 5079 Increases the Penalty for Disarming a Police Officer Under Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - House (75 - 25)
Oct. 7, 2025 PA SB 246 Requires Schools to Notify Families of Weapons Incidents Within 24 Hours Bill Passed - House (202 - 1)
Oct. 1, 2025 PA HB 1866 Prohibits the Possession and Use of Machine Gun Conversion Devices Bill Failed - House (101 - 102)
Sept. 30, 2025 PA HB 1859 Establishes Extreme Risk Protections to Authorize Firearms to be Taken From Individuals in Crisis Bill Failed - House (101 - 102)
Sept. 30, 2025 PA HB 1593 Expands Background Check Requirements for Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - House (104 - 99)
Sept. 30, 2025 PA HB 1099 Prohibits the Use and Distribution of Ghost Guns Bill Failed - House (101 - 102)
Sept. 13, 2025 CA AB 1127 Prohibits the Sale of Pistols that can be Converted to Fully Automatic Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 16)
July 29, 2025 NC HB 193 Authorizes Certain Employees and Volunteers to Carry a Concealed Handgun on Private School Property with Permission from the Property Owner Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 48)
June 26, 2025 NC HB 193 Authorizes Certain Employees and Volunteers to Carry a Concealed Handgun on Private School Property with Permission from the Property Owner Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 46)
June 25, 2025 ME LD 1126 Prohibits the Manufacture, Possession, Importation, Sale, or Transfer of Undetectable Firearms in the State (73 - 67)
June 25, 2025 OR SB 243 Prohibits High-Speed Firing Gun Accessories and Limits Firearm Possession in Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (33 - 10)
June 20, 2025 RI S 359 Prohibits the Manufacture, Purchase and Sale of Certain Types of Semiautomatic Shotguns and Rifles Bill Passed - House (44 - 28)
June 13, 2025 ME LD 677 Prohibits the Posession of Certain Rapid-Fire Devices in Maine "Ought to Pass" Report Not Adopted - House (67 - 75)
June 12, 2025 ME LD 1120 Prohibits Certain Forms of Firearm Storage Defined as Negligent "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - House (67 - 81)
June 12, 2025 ME LD 424 Reduces the Age Requirement for an Individual to Carry a Firearm Without a Permit "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (75 - 70)
June 12, 2025 ME LD 1062 Repeals Private Sale Firearm Background Checks in Maine "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (76 - 71)
June 12, 2025 ME LD 998 Authorizes Employers to Prohibit Employees From Storing Firearms in Their Vehicle While at Work "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (75 - 69)
June 11, 2025 NC SB 50 Establishes State Constitutional Concealed Carry Bill Passed - House (59 - 48)
June 11, 2025 NY S 1985 Requires Police Officers to Take Temporary Custody of Firearms When Responding to Reports of Family Violence Bill Passed - House (93 - 46)
June 5, 2025 RI H 5436 Prohibits the Manufacturing and Sale of Assault Weapons, and Provides Definitions Bill Passed - House (43 - 28)
June 4, 2025 MI HB 4285 Requires the Department of Education and the Department of Natural Resources to Make a Model Program of Firearm Safety Instruction for Grades 6-12 Bill Passed - House (101 - 7)
June 3, 2025 LA SB 101 Authorizes Individuals Legally Permitted to Carry a Firearm to Do So Up to a School's Property line Bill Passed - House (74 - 23)
May 31, 2025 NV SB 156 Requires the Appointment of a Special Counsel for the Prevention of Gun Violence by the Attorney General and Advise the Attorney General on all Matters Relating to the Prevention of Gun Violence Bill Passed - House (25 - 14)
May 28, 2025 TX SB 1596 Repeals Ban on Short-Barrel Firearms Bill Passed - House (87 - 52)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/06 HB 5080 Increases the Maximum Sentence for Disarming a Police Officer Bill Passed - House (75 - 25)
11/06 HB 5079 Increases the Penalty for Disarming a Police Officer Under Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - House (75 - 25)
10/07 SB 246 Requires Schools to Notify Families of Weapons Incidents Within 24 Hours Bill Passed - House (202 - 1)
10/01 HB 1866 Prohibits the Possession and Use of Machine Gun Conversion Devices Bill Failed - House (101 - 102)
9/30 HB 1859 Establishes Extreme Risk Protections to Authorize Firearms to be Taken From Individuals in Crisis Bill Failed - House (101 - 102)
9/30 HB 1593 Expands Background Check Requirements for Purchasing Firearms Bill Passed - House (104 - 99)
9/30 HB 1099 Prohibits the Use and Distribution of Ghost Guns Bill Failed - House (101 - 102)
9/13 AB 1127 Prohibits the Sale of Pistols that can be Converted to Fully Automatic Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 16)
7/29 HB 193 Authorizes Certain Employees and Volunteers to Carry a Concealed Handgun on Private School Property with Permission from the Property Owner Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 48)
6/26 HB 193 Authorizes Certain Employees and Volunteers to Carry a Concealed Handgun on Private School Property with Permission from the Property Owner Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 46)
6/25 LD 1126 Prohibits the Manufacture, Possession, Importation, Sale, or Transfer of Undetectable Firearms in the State (73 - 67)
6/25 SB 243 Prohibits High-Speed Firing Gun Accessories and Limits Firearm Possession in Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (33 - 10)
6/20 S 359 Prohibits the Manufacture, Purchase and Sale of Certain Types of Semiautomatic Shotguns and Rifles Bill Passed - House (44 - 28)
6/13 LD 677 Prohibits the Posession of Certain Rapid-Fire Devices in Maine "Ought to Pass" Report Not Adopted - House (67 - 75)
6/12 LD 1120 Prohibits Certain Forms of Firearm Storage Defined as Negligent "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - House (67 - 81)
6/12 LD 424 Reduces the Age Requirement for an Individual to Carry a Firearm Without a Permit "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (75 - 70)
6/12 LD 1062 Repeals Private Sale Firearm Background Checks in Maine "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (76 - 71)
6/12 LD 998 Authorizes Employers to Prohibit Employees From Storing Firearms in Their Vehicle While at Work "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (75 - 69)
6/11 SB 50 Establishes State Constitutional Concealed Carry Bill Passed - House (59 - 48)
6/11 S 1985 Requires Police Officers to Take Temporary Custody of Firearms When Responding to Reports of Family Violence Bill Passed - House (93 - 46)
6/05 H 5436 Prohibits the Manufacturing and Sale of Assault Weapons, and Provides Definitions Bill Passed - House (43 - 28)
6/04 HB 4285 Requires the Department of Education and the Department of Natural Resources to Make a Model Program of Firearm Safety Instruction for Grades 6-12 Bill Passed - House (101 - 7)
6/03 SB 101 Authorizes Individuals Legally Permitted to Carry a Firearm to Do So Up to a School's Property line Bill Passed - House (74 - 23)
5/31 SB 156 Requires the Appointment of a Special Counsel for the Prevention of Gun Violence by the Attorney General and Advise the Attorney General on all Matters Relating to the Prevention of Gun Violence Bill Passed - House (25 - 14)
5/28 SB 1596 Repeals Ban on Short-Barrel Firearms Bill Passed - House (87 - 52)

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