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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 20, 2011 | AZ | SB 1610 | Official State Gun | Bill Passed - House (32 - 25) |
| April 20, 2011 | NC | SB 33 | Medical Malpractice Amendments | Bill Passed - House (91 - 27) |
| April 18, 2011 | IN | SB 292 | Prohibits Local Limits on Gun Ownership | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| April 14, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
| April 13, 2011 | IL | HB 203 | Limit on Sale of Firearms Within a Certain Time Period | Bill Failed - House (47 - 68) |
| April 12, 2011 | MT | HB 271 | Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit | Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 29) |
| April 12, 2011 | IL | HB 3499 | Firearm Waiting Period Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (78 - 34) |
| April 11, 2011 | PA | HB 1 | Comparative Negligence Provisions | Bill Passed - House (112 - 88) |
| April 9, 2011 | AK | HB 80 | Expands the Use of Deadly Force | Bill Passed - House (33 - 6) |
| April 9, 2011 | AK | HB 80 | Expands the Use of Deadly Force | Bill Passed - House (33 - 6) |
| April 8, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
| April 3, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (98 - 49) |
| March 30, 2011 | NC | HB 111 | Concealed Handguns in Restaurants and State Parks | Bill Passed - House (74 - 42) |
| March 25, 2011 | AR | HB 1958 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns In Places of Worship | Bill Passed - House (65 - 23) |
| March 24, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (101 - 48) |
| March 22, 2011 | AL | HB 19 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (64 - 31) |
| March 21, 2011 | AR | HB 1797 | Requires Proof of Identity to Vote | Bill Passed - House (53 - 36) |
| March 17, 2011 | CA | AB 109 | Criminal Justice Realignment | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| March 16, 2011 | ID | H 222 | Authorizes Guns on Campus | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| March 15, 2011 | DE | HA 1 | Reduced Punishment for Drug Possession | Amendment Adopted - House (21 - 17) |
| March 15, 2011 | NH | HB 330 | Carrying Firearms Without a License | Bill Passed - House (244 - 109) |
| March 8, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - House (74 - 66) |
| March 4, 2011 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | |
| March 3, 2011 | UT | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2946 | Prescriptions for Methamphetamine Chemical Precursors | Bill Passed - House (77 - 23) |
| March 2, 2011 | CO | HB 1205 | Authorizing the Concealed Carry of a Firearm Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (40 - 25) |
| March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2879 | One-Time Pay Raise for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (78 - 22) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | GA | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - House (162 - 5) |
| Feb. 25, 2011 | KS | HB 2067 | Voter Photographic Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 36) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MT | HB 381 | Criminalizing Enforcement of Certain Federal Firearms Laws | Bill Failed - House (38 - 61) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | CO | HB 1003 | Changes to Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | MT | HB 271 | Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (54 - 41) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | GA | HB 92 | Limits Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - House (148 - 20) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | National | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 143) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | National | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 143) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | SD | HB 1171 | Fetus Protection Bill | Bill Tabled - House (61 - 4) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | SD | HB 1171 | Fetus Protection Bill | Bill Tabled - House (61 - 4) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | ID | H 111 | Increased Authority for Tribal Peace Officers | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | UT | HB 75 | Guns On School Premises | Bill Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | UT | HB 219 | Official State Gun Designation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 24) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| Feb. 14, 2011 | National | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Passed - House (275 - 144) |
| Feb. 14, 2011 | National | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Passed - House (275 - 144) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | MT | HB 384 | Concealed Weapons in Prohibited Places | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | ND | HB 1327 | Authority to Declare Evacuations During Local Disasters and Emergencies | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | WY | HB 256 | Tenant Rights in Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | WY | HB 207 | Allowing Guns in Cars While Parked at Work | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | National | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Failed - House (277 - 148) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/20 | SB 1610 | Official State Gun | Bill Passed - House (32 - 25) |
| 4/20 | SB 33 | Medical Malpractice Amendments | Bill Passed - House (91 - 27) |
| 4/18 | SB 292 | Prohibits Local Limits on Gun Ownership | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| 4/14 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
| 4/13 | HB 203 | Limit on Sale of Firearms Within a Certain Time Period | Bill Failed - House (47 - 68) |
| 4/12 | HB 271 | Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit | Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 29) |
| 4/12 | HB 3499 | Firearm Waiting Period Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (78 - 34) |
| 4/11 | HB 1 | Comparative Negligence Provisions | Bill Passed - House (112 - 88) |
| 4/09 | HB 80 | Expands the Use of Deadly Force | Bill Passed - House (33 - 6) |
| 4/09 | HB 80 | Expands the Use of Deadly Force | Bill Passed - House (33 - 6) |
| 4/08 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
| 4/03 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (98 - 49) |
| 3/30 | HB 111 | Concealed Handguns in Restaurants and State Parks | Bill Passed - House (74 - 42) |
| 3/25 | HB 1958 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns In Places of Worship | Bill Passed - House (65 - 23) |
| 3/24 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (101 - 48) |
| 3/22 | HB 19 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (64 - 31) |
| 3/21 | HB 1797 | Requires Proof of Identity to Vote | Bill Passed - House (53 - 36) |
| 3/17 | AB 109 | Criminal Justice Realignment | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| 3/16 | H 222 | Authorizes Guns on Campus | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| 3/15 | HA 1 | Reduced Punishment for Drug Possession | Amendment Adopted - House (21 - 17) |
| 3/15 | HB 330 | Carrying Firearms Without a License | Bill Passed - House (244 - 109) |
| 3/08 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - House (74 - 66) |
| 3/04 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | |
| 3/03 | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| 3/02 | HB 2946 | Prescriptions for Methamphetamine Chemical Precursors | Bill Passed - House (77 - 23) |
| 3/02 | HB 1205 | Authorizing the Concealed Carry of a Firearm Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (40 - 25) |
| 3/02 | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| 3/02 | HB 2879 | One-Time Pay Raise for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (78 - 22) |
| 2/28 | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - House (162 - 5) |
| 2/25 | HB 2067 | Voter Photographic Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 36) |
| 2/23 | HB 381 | Criminalizing Enforcement of Certain Federal Firearms Laws | Bill Failed - House (38 - 61) |
| 2/22 | HB 1003 | Changes to Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| 2/22 | HB 271 | Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (54 - 41) |
| 2/22 | HB 92 | Limits Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - House (148 - 20) |
| 2/17 | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 143) |
| 2/17 | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 143) |
| 2/17 | HB 1171 | Fetus Protection Bill | Bill Tabled - House (61 - 4) |
| 2/17 | HB 1171 | Fetus Protection Bill | Bill Tabled - House (61 - 4) |
| 2/17 | H 111 | Increased Authority for Tribal Peace Officers | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| 2/16 | HB 75 | Guns On School Premises | Bill Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| 2/15 | HB 219 | Official State Gun Designation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 24) |
| 2/15 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| 2/15 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| 2/14 | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Passed - House (275 - 144) |
| 2/14 | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Passed - House (275 - 144) |
| 2/10 | HB 384 | Concealed Weapons in Prohibited Places | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 2/10 | HB 1327 | Authority to Declare Evacuations During Local Disasters and Emergencies | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| 2/09 | HB 256 | Tenant Rights in Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
| 2/09 | HB 207 | Allowing Guns in Cars While Parked at Work | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| 2/08 | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Failed - House (277 - 148) |