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. 29, 2012 | IA | HJR 2009 | Prohibiting Mandatory Licensing and Registration of Guns | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | VA | SB 323 | Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns | Bill Passed - House (64 - 32) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | UT | HB 49 | Authorizing the Concealed or Open Possession of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (50 - 21) |
| Feb. 20, 2012 | CO | HB 1064 | Prohibits Gun Restrictions During Emergencies | Bill Passed - House (45 - 19) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | OR | HB 4045 | Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers | Bill Passed - House (44 - 14) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | SD | HB 1248 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (50 - 18) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | VA | HB 14 | Provides Civil Immunity for the Use of Force Against Intruders | Bill Passed - House (75 - 22) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | VA | HB 48 | Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | VA | HB 940 | Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns | Bill Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| Jan. 5, 2012 | NH | HB 194 | Authorizes Loaded Rifles and Shotguns in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (204 - 110) |
| Jan. 5, 2012 | NH | HB 536 | Repeals License Requirement to Carry a Firearm | Bill Passed - House (193 - 122) |
| Jan. 4, 2012 | NH | HB 334 | Authorizes Weapons on Public Property | Bill Passed - House (180 - 144) |
| Nov. 16, 2011 | National | HR 822 | Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms | Bill Passed - House (272 - 154) |
| Sept. 14, 2011 | NH | SB 88 | Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense | Veto Override Passed - House (251 - 111) |
| July 14, 2011 | CA | SB 249 | Prohibits Firearms with Detachable Magazines | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
| June 21, 2011 | WI | SB 93 | Weapons Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| June 15, 2011 | OH | SB 17 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors | Bill Passed - House (56 - 39) |
| June 6, 2011 | OR | SB 347 | Exemptions from Disclosure of Public Records | Bill Passed - House (46 - 12) |
| May 16, 2011 | CA | AB 144 | Concealed Weapons Bill | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| May 4, 2011 | FL | SB 234 | Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm | Bill Passed - House (99 - 17) |
| April 26, 2011 | FL | HB 45 | Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition | Bill Passed - House (85 - 33) |
| April 20, 2011 | AZ | SB 1610 | Official State Gun | Bill Passed - House (32 - 25) |
| April 18, 2011 | IN | SB 292 | Prohibits Local Limits on Gun Ownership | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| April 13, 2011 | IL | HB 203 | Limit on Sale of Firearms Within a Certain Time Period | Bill Failed - House (47 - 68) |
| April 12, 2011 | MT | HB 271 | Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit | Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 29) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/29 | HJR 2009 | Prohibiting Mandatory Licensing and Registration of Guns | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 37) |
| 2/22 | SB 323 | Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns | Bill Passed - House (64 - 32) |
| 2/21 | HB 49 | Authorizing the Concealed or Open Possession of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (50 - 21) |
| 2/20 | HB 1064 | Prohibits Gun Restrictions During Emergencies | Bill Passed - House (45 - 19) |
| 2/15 | HB 4045 | Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers | Bill Passed - House (44 - 14) |
| 2/13 | HB 1248 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (50 - 18) |
| 2/09 | HB 14 | Provides Civil Immunity for the Use of Force Against Intruders | Bill Passed - House (75 - 22) |
| 2/09 | HB 48 | Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 2/01 | HB 940 | Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns | Bill Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| 1/05 | HB 194 | Authorizes Loaded Rifles and Shotguns in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (204 - 110) |
| 1/05 | HB 536 | Repeals License Requirement to Carry a Firearm | Bill Passed - House (193 - 122) |
| 1/04 | HB 334 | Authorizes Weapons on Public Property | Bill Passed - House (180 - 144) |
| 11/16 | HR 822 | Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms | Bill Passed - House (272 - 154) |
| 9/14 | SB 88 | Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense | Veto Override Passed - House (251 - 111) |
| 7/14 | SB 249 | Prohibits Firearms with Detachable Magazines | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
| 6/21 | SB 93 | Weapons Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| 6/15 | SB 17 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors | Bill Passed - House (56 - 39) |
| 6/06 | SB 347 | Exemptions from Disclosure of Public Records | Bill Passed - House (46 - 12) |
| 5/16 | AB 144 | Concealed Weapons Bill | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| 5/04 | SB 234 | Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm | Bill Passed - House (99 - 17) |
| 4/26 | HB 45 | Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition | Bill Passed - House (85 - 33) |
| 4/20 | SB 1610 | Official State Gun | Bill Passed - House (32 - 25) |
| 4/18 | SB 292 | Prohibits Local Limits on Gun Ownership | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| 4/13 | HB 203 | Limit on Sale of Firearms Within a Certain Time Period | Bill Failed - House (47 - 68) |
| 4/12 | HB 271 | Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit | Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 29) |