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
June 9, 2015 WI SB 70 Authorizes Certain Officers to Carry Firearms in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
June 3, 2015 LA HB 149 Amends Penalties for Marijuana Possesion Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
June 3, 2015 National HR 2578 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Bill Passed - House (242 - 183)
June 2, 2015 National HR 2048 Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 32)
June 2, 2015 National HR 2048 Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 32)
June 2, 2015 CA SB 124 Limits the Use of Solitary Confinement for Juveniles Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
June 2, 2015 DE HB 39 Decriminalizes Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana Bill Passed - House (24 - 14)
June 1, 2015 CA AB 718 Authorizes Sleeping in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (56 - 15)
June 1, 2015 CA SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 31, 2015 IL HB 352 Authorizes Bobcat Hunting Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 46)
May 31, 2015 IL HB 352 Authorizes Bobcat Hunting Concurrence Vote Failed - House (55 - 54)
May 28, 2015 NC HB 640 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
May 27, 2015 NE LB 268 Repeals the Death Penalty Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
May 27, 2015 TX SB 11 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (102 - 44)
May 27, 2015 MI HB 4467 Authorizes Private High-Security Prisons Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 26, 2015 CA AB 884 Requires the Attorney General to Denote Ballot Initiatives That May Be Unconstitutional Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
May 22, 2015 TX HB 910 Authorizes Open Carry of Handguns Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
May 22, 2015 NV SB 175 Amends Justifiable Homicide and Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - House (25 - 17)
May 22, 2015 NV SB 175 Amends Justifiable Homicide and Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - House (25 - 17)
May 21, 2015 IL HB 352 Authorizes Bobcat Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
May 18, 2015 ID H 1 Amends Foreign Child Support Order Bill Passed - House (49 - 21)
May 17, 2015 MN SF 86 Amends Procedures for Data Collected by Police Surveillance Equipment Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 43)
May 17, 2015 NV AB 244 Classifies Certain Graffiti Offenses as a Felony Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
May 16, 2015 NV AB 193 Authorizes a Court of Law to Admit Hearsay as Evidence Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8)
May 16, 2015 NV AB 193 Authorizes a Court of Law to Admit Hearsay as Evidence Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/09 SB 70 Authorizes Certain Officers to Carry Firearms in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
6/03 HB 149 Amends Penalties for Marijuana Possesion Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
6/03 HR 2578 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Bill Passed - House (242 - 183)
6/02 HR 2048 Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 32)
6/02 HR 2048 Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 32)
6/02 SB 124 Limits the Use of Solitary Confinement for Juveniles Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
6/02 HB 39 Decriminalizes Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana Bill Passed - House (24 - 14)
6/01 AB 718 Authorizes Sleeping in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (56 - 15)
6/01 SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/31 HB 352 Authorizes Bobcat Hunting Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 46)
5/31 HB 352 Authorizes Bobcat Hunting Concurrence Vote Failed - House (55 - 54)
5/28 HB 640 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
5/27 LB 268 Repeals the Death Penalty Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
5/27 SB 11 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (102 - 44)
5/27 HB 4467 Authorizes Private High-Security Prisons Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/26 AB 884 Requires the Attorney General to Denote Ballot Initiatives That May Be Unconstitutional Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
5/22 HB 910 Authorizes Open Carry of Handguns Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
5/22 SB 175 Amends Justifiable Homicide and Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - House (25 - 17)
5/22 SB 175 Amends Justifiable Homicide and Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - House (25 - 17)
5/21 HB 352 Authorizes Bobcat Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
5/18 H 1 Amends Foreign Child Support Order Bill Passed - House (49 - 21)
5/17 SF 86 Amends Procedures for Data Collected by Police Surveillance Equipment Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 43)
5/17 AB 244 Classifies Certain Graffiti Offenses as a Felony Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
5/16 AB 193 Authorizes a Court of Law to Admit Hearsay as Evidence Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8)
5/16 AB 193 Authorizes a Court of Law to Admit Hearsay as Evidence Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8)

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