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
June 16, 2016 CA SB 839 Prohibits Orca Captivity and Breeding Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
May 25, 2016 OH SB 331 Establishes Regulations for Dog Sales Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
April 6, 2016 AZ SB 1248 Prohibits Pet Stores from Selling Commercially Bred Animals Bill Passed - House (36 - 23)
March 2, 2016 OR HB 4040 Authorizes Removal of Gray Wolf from Endangered Species List Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
Feb. 29, 2016 TN SB 1821 Authorizes the Possession of a Live Skunk Bill Failed - House (44 - 36)
Feb. 26, 2016 National HR 2406 Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (242 - 161)
Feb. 25, 2016 IA SF 2289 Expands Criminal Offenses for Animal Mistreatment Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16)
Feb. 23, 2016 SD HB 1206 Authorizes the Use of Handguns to Hunt Game Birds Bill Failed - House (23 - 44)
Feb. 22, 2016 HI SB 2647 Prohibits Sale of Endangered Species Parts or Products Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 7)
Feb. 12, 2016 OR HB 4040 Authorizes Removal of Gray Wolf from Endangered Species List Bill Passed - House (33 - 23)
Jan. 27, 2016 SD HB 1075 Expands Nonresident Waterfowl Hunting Areas Bill Passed - House (36 - 32)
Sept. 4, 2015 CA AB 96 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21)
Sept. 2, 2015 CA AB 96 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
June 1, 2015 National HR 1335 Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act Bill Passed - House (225 - 152)
May 15, 2015 National H Amdt 230 Prohibits Listing Lesser Prairie Chicken as Endangered Amendment Adopted - House (229 - 190)
April 28, 2015 OR SB 913 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
April 21, 2015 MT SB 284 Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
April 21, 2015 MT SB 245 Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
April 15, 2015 MT SB 245 Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
April 15, 2015 MT SB 284 Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
April 14, 2015 WA SB 5501 Amends Animal Cruelty Regulations Bill Passed - House (59 - 38)
April 14, 2015 IN HB 1453 Authorizes Deer Hunting Preserves Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
March 31, 2015 AL HB 85 Requires Animal Shelters to Compile Monthly Reports Bill Failed - House (28 - 67)
March 23, 2015 AZ HB 2150 Amends Animal Cruelty Laws Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
March 9, 2015 MT HB 212 Amends Definitions of Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/16 SB 839 Prohibits Orca Captivity and Breeding Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
5/25 SB 331 Establishes Regulations for Dog Sales Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
4/06 SB 1248 Prohibits Pet Stores from Selling Commercially Bred Animals Bill Passed - House (36 - 23)
3/02 HB 4040 Authorizes Removal of Gray Wolf from Endangered Species List Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
2/29 SB 1821 Authorizes the Possession of a Live Skunk Bill Failed - House (44 - 36)
2/26 HR 2406 Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (242 - 161)
2/25 SF 2289 Expands Criminal Offenses for Animal Mistreatment Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16)
2/23 HB 1206 Authorizes the Use of Handguns to Hunt Game Birds Bill Failed - House (23 - 44)
2/22 SB 2647 Prohibits Sale of Endangered Species Parts or Products Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 7)
2/12 HB 4040 Authorizes Removal of Gray Wolf from Endangered Species List Bill Passed - House (33 - 23)
1/27 HB 1075 Expands Nonresident Waterfowl Hunting Areas Bill Passed - House (36 - 32)
9/04 AB 96 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21)
9/02 AB 96 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
6/01 HR 1335 Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act Bill Passed - House (225 - 152)
5/15 H Amdt 230 Prohibits Listing Lesser Prairie Chicken as Endangered Amendment Adopted - House (229 - 190)
4/28 SB 913 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
4/21 SB 284 Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
4/21 SB 245 Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
4/15 SB 245 Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
4/15 SB 284 Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
4/14 SB 5501 Amends Animal Cruelty Regulations Bill Passed - House (59 - 38)
4/14 HB 1453 Authorizes Deer Hunting Preserves Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
3/31 HB 85 Requires Animal Shelters to Compile Monthly Reports Bill Failed - House (28 - 67)
3/23 HB 2150 Amends Animal Cruelty Laws Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
3/09 HB 212 Amends Definitions of Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)

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