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 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 9, 2015 | KY | HB 203 | Increases Limit on Individual Campaign Donations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| March 6, 2015 | AR | HJR 1003 | Requests a Constitutional Convention | Bill Passed - House (52 - 33) |
| March 6, 2015 | AZ | SB 1340 | Requires Photo Identification for Early Ballot Volunteers | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| March 5, 2015 | OR | HB 2177 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| March 4, 2015 | WY | SF 56 | Appropriates Funds for Study of Public Lands | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |
| March 3, 2015 | OK | SB 315 | Amends Absentee Ballot Application Procedure | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |
| Feb. 26, 2015 | MN | SF 174 | Requires Legislative Approval for Certain Salary Increases | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
| Feb. 26, 2015 | MN | SF 174 | Requires Legislative Approval for Certain Salary Increases | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
| Feb. 26, 2015 | KS | SB 171 | Amends Voting Schedule | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Feb. 25, 2015 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Signature Requirements for Political Candidate Nominations | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | ND | HB 1157 | Authorizes Public Officials to Possess Firearms in Public Buildings | Bill Failed - House (45 - 47) |
| Feb. 23, 2015 | NJ | S 2430 | Requires Disclosure of Political Contributions | Bill Passed - House (53 - 15) |
| Feb. 20, 2015 | OR | HB 2177 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| Feb. 19, 2015 | MO | HB 30 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (118 - 37) |
| Feb. 19, 2015 | MO | SB 104 | Establishes Deadline for Changes to Ballot Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 19, 2015 | MO | HJR 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (118 - 39) |
| Feb. 19, 2015 | MO | HJR 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (118 - 39) |
| 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 | ND | HB 1259 | Requires Performance Audits of Certain State Agencies | Bill Failed - House (22 - 67) |
| Feb. 11, 2015 | MS | SB 2389 | Authorizes Joining Interstate Compact for a Balanced Federal Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Feb. 10, 2015 | WV | HB 2217 | Amends Qualifications for Commissioner of Labor | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 34) |
| Feb. 9, 2015 | MT | HB 203 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Federal Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | National | HR 527 | Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 163) |
| Feb. 4, 2015 | National | HR 50 | Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 173) |
| Feb. 4, 2015 | WV | HB 2217 | Amends Qualifications for Commissioner of Labor | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| Feb. 3, 2015 | WV | SB 249 | Repeals Straight-Ticket Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| Feb. 2, 2015 | WY | HB 114 | Authorizes Concealed Carry in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |
| Jan. 30, 2015 | WY | SF 56 | Appropriates Funds for Study of Public Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| Jan. 27, 2015 | CO | SB 52 | Expands Legislative Oversight of the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| Jan. 21, 2015 | National | HR 161 | Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act | Bill Passed - House (253 - 169) |
| Jan. 13, 2015 | National | HR 185 | Regulatory Accountability Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 175) |