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. 10, 2015 | WY | SF 115 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Idenity | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | MT | SB 143 | Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | SD | SB 57 | Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | NJ | S 866 | Authorizes Gestational Surrogacy Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | NJ | S 866 | Authorizes Gestational Surrogacy Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 3, 2015 | MI | SB 34 | Amends Concealed Carry Licensing Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| Feb. 3, 2015 | IN | SB 127 | Authorizes Religious Organizations to Hire Based on Religion | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| Feb. 3, 2015 | VA | SB 785 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
| Feb. 3, 2015 | IN | SB 433 | Authorizes Possession of Sawed-off Shotguns | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 6) |
| Feb. 2, 2015 | MT | SB 154 | Amends Requirement to Wear Hunter Orange while Hunting | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| Jan. 23, 2015 | WY | SF 14 | Amends Property Forfeiture Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 3) |
| Jan. 20, 2015 | VA | SB 722 | Prohibits In-State Tuition for Students with Certain Temporary Visas | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20) |
| Dec. 16, 2014 | MI | HB 6074 | Prohibits Student Athletes from Collective Bargaining | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Dec. 11, 2014 | OH | SB 342 | Prohibits Use of Traffic Cameras to Issue Tickets Unless Officer is Present | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Dec. 11, 2014 | MI | SB 1156 | Prohibits Actions that Coerce a Woman to Get an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Dec. 10, 2014 | MI | HB 4118 | Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| Dec. 10, 2014 | MI | HB 4118 | Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| Dec. 10, 2014 | MI | SB 275 | Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| Dec. 10, 2014 | MI | SB 275 | Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| Dec. 9, 2014 | OH | HB 234 | Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Certain Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| Dec. 9, 2014 | OH | HB 234 | Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Certain Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| Dec. 3, 2014 | MI | SB 1130 | Amends Public Health Code to Include Hepatitis C Virus | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Nov. 19, 2014 | OH | SB 342 | Prohibits Use of Traffic Cameras to Issue Tickets unless an Officer is Present | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Nov. 18, 2014 | National | S 2685 | USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
| Oct. 16, 2014 | PA | HB 80 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |