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
March 5, 2020 WA HB 2467 Establishes a Background Check System for Firearms Transfers Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
Feb. 26, 2020 VA HB 1083 Amends Safety Requirements for Unsecured Firearms and Increases Penalties (22 - 18)
Feb. 26, 2020 VA HB 9 Requires Reporting Lost or Stolen Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 12, 2020 OK HB 2336 Authorizes Handguns on the Premises of Schools Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 7)
Jan. 22, 2020 VA SB 240 Authorizes Temporary Seizure of Guns from Persons Posing Substantial Risk Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Jan. 16, 2020 VA SB 70 Requires Background Check for Firearm Transfers Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
Jan. 16, 2020 VA SB 35 Authorizes Localities to Prohibit Guns at Public Events Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Jan. 16, 2020 VA SB 69 Prohibits Purchasing more than One Handgun per Month Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Jan. 14, 2020 IN SB 69 Authorizes Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
Sept. 9, 2019 CA AB 1669 Increases Firearm Purchasing Fees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
Sept. 9, 2019 CA AB 521 Authorizes Healthcare Professions be Trained to Reduce Firearm-Related Injuries Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
Sept. 9, 2019 CA AB 12 Authorizes Gun Violence Restraining Orders Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
Sept. 4, 2019 CA AB 61 Amends Restraining Order Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
Aug. 12, 2019 CA AJR 5 Urges the Federal Government to Pass Universal Firearm Safety Regulation Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
June 26, 2019 PA SB 147 Establishes Hunting Regulations on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14)
June 20, 2019 NJ S 101 Requires Firearm Retailers to Sell Personalized Handguns Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
June 20, 2019 NJ A 3696 Amends Firearms Storage Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 18)
June 18, 2019 ME LD 1312 Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 15)
June 11, 2019 PA SB 621 Authorizes Schools to Arm Security Guards Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
May 31, 2019 NV AB 291 Establishes Various Provisions to Increase Gun Safety Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 8)
May 23, 2019 CT HB 7223 Prohibits Unlocked Vehicle Storage of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 23, 2019 CT HB 7218 Amends Firearm Storage Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2)
May 23, 2019 CT HB 7219 Establishes Regulations on Manufacturing Guns Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
May 23, 2019 CA SB 55 Expands List of Persons Prohibited from Owning Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
May 22, 2019 CA SB 172 Amends Firearm Storage Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/05 HB 2467 Establishes a Background Check System for Firearms Transfers Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
2/26 HB 1083 Amends Safety Requirements for Unsecured Firearms and Increases Penalties (22 - 18)
2/26 HB 9 Requires Reporting Lost or Stolen Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/12 HB 2336 Authorizes Handguns on the Premises of Schools Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 7)
1/22 SB 240 Authorizes Temporary Seizure of Guns from Persons Posing Substantial Risk Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
1/16 SB 70 Requires Background Check for Firearm Transfers Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
1/16 SB 35 Authorizes Localities to Prohibit Guns at Public Events Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
1/16 SB 69 Prohibits Purchasing more than One Handgun per Month Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
1/14 SB 69 Authorizes Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
9/09 AB 1669 Increases Firearm Purchasing Fees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
9/09 AB 521 Authorizes Healthcare Professions be Trained to Reduce Firearm-Related Injuries Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
9/09 AB 12 Authorizes Gun Violence Restraining Orders Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
9/04 AB 61 Amends Restraining Order Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
8/12 AJR 5 Urges the Federal Government to Pass Universal Firearm Safety Regulation Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
6/26 SB 147 Establishes Hunting Regulations on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14)
6/20 S 101 Requires Firearm Retailers to Sell Personalized Handguns Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
6/20 A 3696 Amends Firearms Storage Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 18)
6/18 LD 1312 Establishes Extreme Risk Protection Orders "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 15)
6/11 SB 621 Authorizes Schools to Arm Security Guards Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
5/31 AB 291 Establishes Various Provisions to Increase Gun Safety Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 8)
5/23 HB 7223 Prohibits Unlocked Vehicle Storage of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/23 HB 7218 Amends Firearm Storage Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2)
5/23 HB 7219 Establishes Regulations on Manufacturing Guns Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
5/23 SB 55 Expands List of Persons Prohibited from Owning Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
5/22 SB 172 Amends Firearm Storage Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)

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