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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 2013 | TX | HB 852 | Prohibits the Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - House (87 - 42) |
| May 1, 2013 | TX | HB 489 | Expands Access to Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD | Bill Passed - House (120 - 21) |
| April 23, 2013 | OR | HB 2624 | Exempts Counties from Hunting Dog Prohibitions if Approved by County Voters | Bill Passed - House (40 - 19) |
| April 22, 2013 | MT | SB 256 | Requires the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Organization to be Liable for Damage Caused by Wild Buffalo | Conference Report Adopted - House (61 - 39) |
| April 17, 2013 | TN | SB 1248 | Requires Disclosure of Photographic Evidence of Animal Abuse | Bill Passed - House (50 - 43) |
| April 17, 2013 | MT | SB 143 | Amends Bison Management Laws | Bill Failed - House (50 - 50) |
| April 15, 2013 | IN | SB 487 | Establishes Regulations for Hunting Preserves | Bill Passed - House (52 - 39) |
| March 7, 2013 | MI | SB 48 | Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears | Bill Passed - House (56 - 52) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | NM | HB 316 | Prohibits Animal Killing Contests | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | MT | HB 396 | Requires County Board Approval for Bison Relocation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | MT | HB 205 | Authorizes Use of Suppressors for Hunting | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | OK | HB 1999 | Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses | Bill Passed - House (82 - 14) |
| Feb. 18, 2013 | NM | HB 63 | Prohibits Breed-Specific Dog Regulations | Bill Passed - House (48 - 14) |
| Feb. 13, 2013 | WY | SF 132 | Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting | Bill Passed - House (44 - 14) |
| Feb. 13, 2013 | NC | HB 66 | Authorizes the Use and Display of Wild Animals in Cultural Activities | Bill Passed - House (98 - 20) |
| Feb. 6, 2013 | MT | HB 27 | Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 33) |
| Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| April 28, 2012 | MN | HF 2171 | Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62) |
| April 11, 2012 | AZ | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15) |
| March 22, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - House (38 - 29) |
| March 15, 2012 | ID | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
| March 5, 2012 | GA | HB 717 | Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault | Bill Failed - House (82 - 73) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | National | HR 1837 | Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley | Bill Passed - House (246 - 175) |
| July 27, 2011 | National | H Amdt 735 | Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202) |
| April 20, 2011 | OR | HB 2337 | Cougar Hunting Zones | Bill Passed - House (45 - 14) |
| April 14, 2011 | AL | HB 126 | Extending Forever Wild Land Trust | Bill Passed - House (69 - 24) |
| April 13, 2011 | MO | SB 113 | Regulating Animal Care Facilities | Bill Passed - House (85 - 71) |
| March 23, 2011 | IA | SF 464 | Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| June 18, 2010 | LA | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Bill Passed - House (80 - 10) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 2411 | Pet Insurance Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| May 26, 2010 | LA | SB 38 | Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting | Bill Passed - House (73 - 13) |
| May 11, 2010 | CO | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 29) |
| May 10, 2010 | LA | HB 219 | Illegal Dog Restraining | Bill Failed - House (46 - 40) |
| May 4, 2010 | CT | HB 5423 | Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals | Bill Passed - House (81 - 67) |
| April 28, 2010 | AZ | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| April 5, 2010 | CA | AB 1656 | Requiring Fur Product Labeling | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
| April 1, 2010 | MO | HB 1747 | Authorizing Horse Slaughterhouses | Bill Passed - House (91 - 61) |
| March 1, 2010 | OK | HB 2745 | Pet Sales Licensing Process | Bill Passed - House (63 - 30) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8145 | Animal Facility Regulations | Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 53) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8140 | Animal Abuse and Neglect Penalties | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 52) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A2653 | Fur Labeling | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| June 12, 2009 | OR | SB 76 | Klamath River Dams | Bill Passed - House (34 - 24) |
| April 7, 2009 | ID | H 138 | Allowing Lawsuits for Nonnative Species Attacks | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| March 25, 2009 | National | HR 146 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 140) |
| March 11, 2009 | National | S 22 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Bill Failed - House (282 - 144) |
| March 4, 2009 | OK | HB 1332 | Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| March 3, 2009 | UT | HB 187 | Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property | Bill Failed - House (34 - 41) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | MT | HB 418 | Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| Feb. 11, 2009 | WY | HB 32 | Gray Wolf Management Plan Amendments | Bill Failed - House (7 - 52) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/04 | HB 852 | Prohibits the Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - House (87 - 42) |
| 5/01 | HB 489 | Expands Access to Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD | Bill Passed - House (120 - 21) |
| 4/23 | HB 2624 | Exempts Counties from Hunting Dog Prohibitions if Approved by County Voters | Bill Passed - House (40 - 19) |
| 4/22 | SB 256 | Requires the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Organization to be Liable for Damage Caused by Wild Buffalo | Conference Report Adopted - House (61 - 39) |
| 4/17 | SB 1248 | Requires Disclosure of Photographic Evidence of Animal Abuse | Bill Passed - House (50 - 43) |
| 4/17 | SB 143 | Amends Bison Management Laws | Bill Failed - House (50 - 50) |
| 4/15 | SB 487 | Establishes Regulations for Hunting Preserves | Bill Passed - House (52 - 39) |
| 3/07 | SB 48 | Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears | Bill Passed - House (56 - 52) |
| 2/27 | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| 2/26 | HB 316 | Prohibits Animal Killing Contests | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| 2/25 | HB 396 | Requires County Board Approval for Bison Relocation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| 2/22 | HB 205 | Authorizes Use of Suppressors for Hunting | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| 2/20 | HB 1999 | Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses | Bill Passed - House (82 - 14) |
| 2/18 | HB 63 | Prohibits Breed-Specific Dog Regulations | Bill Passed - House (48 - 14) |
| 2/13 | SF 132 | Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting | Bill Passed - House (44 - 14) |
| 2/13 | HB 66 | Authorizes the Use and Display of Wild Animals in Cultural Activities | Bill Passed - House (98 - 20) |
| 2/06 | HB 27 | Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 33) |
| 8/22 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| 4/28 | HF 2171 | Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62) |
| 4/11 | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15) |
| 3/22 | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - House (38 - 29) |
| 3/15 | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
| 3/05 | HB 717 | Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault | Bill Failed - House (82 - 73) |
| 2/29 | HR 1837 | Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley | Bill Passed - House (246 - 175) |
| 7/27 | H Amdt 735 | Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202) |
| 4/20 | HB 2337 | Cougar Hunting Zones | Bill Passed - House (45 - 14) |
| 4/14 | HB 126 | Extending Forever Wild Land Trust | Bill Passed - House (69 - 24) |
| 4/13 | SB 113 | Regulating Animal Care Facilities | Bill Passed - House (85 - 71) |
| 3/23 | SF 464 | Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| 6/18 | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Bill Passed - House (80 - 10) |
| 6/01 | AB 2411 | Pet Insurance Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| 5/26 | SB 38 | Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting | Bill Passed - House (73 - 13) |
| 5/11 | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 29) |
| 5/10 | HB 219 | Illegal Dog Restraining | Bill Failed - House (46 - 40) |
| 5/04 | HB 5423 | Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals | Bill Passed - House (81 - 67) |
| 4/28 | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| 4/05 | AB 1656 | Requiring Fur Product Labeling | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
| 4/01 | HB 1747 | Authorizing Horse Slaughterhouses | Bill Passed - House (91 - 61) |
| 3/01 | HB 2745 | Pet Sales Licensing Process | Bill Passed - House (63 - 30) |
| 2/17 | Amdt 8145 | Animal Facility Regulations | Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 53) |
| 2/17 | Amdt 8140 | Animal Abuse and Neglect Penalties | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 52) |
| 6/25 | A2653 | Fur Labeling | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| 6/12 | SB 76 | Klamath River Dams | Bill Passed - House (34 - 24) |
| 4/07 | H 138 | Allowing Lawsuits for Nonnative Species Attacks | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 3/25 | HR 146 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 140) |
| 3/11 | S 22 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Bill Failed - House (282 - 144) |
| 3/04 | HB 1332 | Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 3/03 | HB 187 | Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property | Bill Failed - House (34 - 41) |
| 2/25 | HB 418 | Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| 2/11 | HB 32 | Gray Wolf Management Plan Amendments | Bill Failed - House (7 - 52) |