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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 16, 2015 | NJ | S 2181 | Increases Oversight of the Port Authority | Veto Override Failed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| March 16, 2015 | ID | S 1092 | Prohibits Local Knife Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 12, 2015 | MT | HB 203 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Federal Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| March 11, 2015 | OK | HB 2178 | Amends Local Municipalities' Ability to Regulate Oil and Gas Production | Bill Passed - House (74 - 23) |
| March 11, 2015 | OK | SJR 4 | Requests Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| March 11, 2015 | OK | SB 809 | Amends Local Municipalities' Ability to Regulate Oil and Gas Production | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 7) |
| March 11, 2015 | AZ | SB 1330 | Prohibits State Employees from Enforcing Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 10, 2015 | NM | HB 366 | Authorizes State Regulation of Oil and Gas Production | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| March 10, 2015 | AZ | HB 2368 | Prohibits Use of State Funds to Enforce Executive Orders not Authorized by Congress | Bill Passed - House (36 - 24) |
| March 4, 2015 | WY | SF 56 | Appropriates Funds for Study of Public Lands | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2015 | AR | HB 1355 | Authorizes Local Control of Fluoride in Water Systems | Bill Passed - House (60 - 34) |
| Feb. 13, 2015 | AR | SB 202 | Prohibits New Classes of Protected Individuals | Bill Passed - House (58 - 21) |
| Feb. 11, 2015 | MS | SB 2389 | Authorizes Joining Interstate Compact for a Balanced Federal Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Feb. 9, 2015 | MT | HB 203 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Federal Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |
| Jan. 30, 2015 | WY | SF 56 | Appropriates Funds for Study of Public Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 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. 10, 2014 | OH | SB 342 | Prohibits Use of Traffic Cameras to Issue Tickets Unless Officer is Present | Bill Passed - House (58 - 31) |
| Dec. 9, 2014 | OH | HB 5 | Amends Municipal Income Tax Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 32) |
| Dec. 3, 2014 | OH | HB 5 | Amends Municipal Income Tax Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| Nov. 19, 2014 | OH | SB 342 | Prohibits Use of Traffic Cameras to Issue Tickets unless an Officer is Present | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Oct. 20, 2014 | PA | HB 80 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (138 - 56) |
| Oct. 16, 2014 | PA | HB 80 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| Oct. 6, 2014 | PA | HB 1243 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - House (143 - 54) |
| Aug. 29, 2014 | CA | AB 1739 | Amends Groundwater Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| Aug. 29, 2014 | CA | SB 1168 | Requires Sustainability Plans for Groundwater Usage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Aug. 29, 2014 | CA | SB 1319 | Authorizes Groundwater Sustainability Plan for Certain Water Basins | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| Aug. 29, 2014 | CA | SB 1168 | Requires Sustainability Plans for Groundwater Usage | Bill Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| Aug. 29, 2014 | CA | SB 1319 | Authorizes Groundwater Sustainability Plan for Certain Water Basins | Bill Passed - House (48 - 26) |
| Aug. 27, 2014 | CA | AB 1739 | Amends Groundwater Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| July 29, 2014 | National | S Amdt 3584 | Transportation Empowerment Act | Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 69) |
| July 16, 2014 | NC | SB 812 | Repeals Common Core Standards | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 34) |
| July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1086 | Prohibits States from Penalizing a Bank for Providing Financial Services to Marijuana Businesses | Amendment Adopted - House (231 - 192) |
| July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1093 | Prohibits Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from Preventing States from Implementing Broadband Internet Access Service Laws | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 200) |
| July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1098 | Prohibits District of Columbia from Implementing Certain Firearm Laws | Amendment Adopted - House (241 - 181) |
| July 10, 2014 | NC | SB 812 | Repeals Common Core Standards | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 12) |
| June 19, 2014 | NY | A 9583A | Authorizes Demonstration Program for Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - House (91 - 37) |
| June 10, 2014 | MI | SB 789 | Amends Firearm Licensing Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| June 3, 2014 | MI | HB 5575 | Establishes the Mighigan Settlement Authority Administration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| June 1, 2014 | LA | HB 953 | Extends Timeline for Implementation of Common Core Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 17) |
| May 30, 2014 | National | H Amdt 748 | Prohibits Federal Agencies from Preventing States from Authorizing the Use of Medical Marijuana | Amendment Adopted - House (219 - 189) |
| May 28, 2014 | LA | HB 953 | Extends Timeline for Implementation of Common Core Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| May 28, 2014 | CA | AB 1609 | Establishes Requirements for Out of State Firearms Transfers | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| May 28, 2014 | CA | SB 1319 | Expands Prevention and Response Programs for Oil Spills | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 27, 2014 | IL | SB 16 | Amends Formula for School Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| May 22, 2014 | MI | HB 5575 | Establishes the Mighigan Settlement Authority Administration | Bill Passed - House (75 - 35) |
| May 1, 2014 | RI | H 7944A | Authorizes State Fiscal Oversight of Certain Fire Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| April 30, 2014 | MO | HB 1439 | Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| April 30, 2014 | NY | A 9206 | Authorizes Traffic Cameras on Long Island | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 11) |
| April 28, 2014 | FL | SB 864 | Authorizes Local School Boards to Choose School Textbooks | Bill Passed - House (84 - 33) |
| April 28, 2014 | NY | A 9206 | Authorizes Traffic Cameras on Long Island | Bill Passed - House (104 - 25) |