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
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/10 SF 115 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Idenity Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
2/05 SB 143 Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
2/05 SB 57 Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
2/05 S 866 Authorizes Gestational Surrogacy Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
2/05 S 866 Authorizes Gestational Surrogacy Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
2/03 SB 34 Amends Concealed Carry Licensing Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
2/03 SB 127 Authorizes Religious Organizations to Hire Based on Religion Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
2/03 SB 785 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19)
2/03 SB 433 Authorizes Possession of Sawed-off Shotguns Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 6)
2/02 SB 154 Amends Requirement to Wear Hunter Orange while Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
1/23 SF 14 Amends Property Forfeiture Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 3)
1/20 SB 722 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Students with Certain Temporary Visas Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)
12/16 HB 6074 Prohibits Student Athletes from Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
12/11 SB 342 Prohibits Use of Traffic Cameras to Issue Tickets Unless Officer is Present Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
12/11 SB 1156 Prohibits Actions that Coerce a Woman to Get an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
12/10 HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
12/10 HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
12/10 SB 275 Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
12/10 SB 275 Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
12/09 HB 234 Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Certain Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
12/09 HB 234 Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Certain Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
12/03 SB 1130 Amends Public Health Code to Include Hepatitis C Virus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
11/19 SB 342 Prohibits Use of Traffic Cameras to Issue Tickets unless an Officer is Present Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
11/18 S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
10/16 HB 80 Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)

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