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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 3, 2015 | National | HR 3762 | Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47) |
| Dec. 3, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2910 | Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
| Dec. 3, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2915 | Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Nov. 17, 2015 | OH | HB 48 | Amends Provisions Concerning Concealed Carry of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (68 - 29) |
| Nov. 10, 2015 | IL | SB 570 | Requires Child Care Benefits for Eligible Individuals | Bill Failed - House (70 - 35) |
| Oct. 23, 2015 | National | HR 3762 | Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 189) |
| Oct. 21, 2015 | WI | SB 43 | Amends John Doe Law | Bill Passed - House (61 - 36) |
| Oct. 21, 2015 | WI | SB 43 | Amends John Doe Law | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Oct. 20, 2015 | National | S 2146 | Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Oct. 20, 2015 | National | S 2146 | Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Sept. 29, 2015 | NC | HB 318 | Prohibits Local Governments from Recognizing Identity Documents issued by Foreign Governments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 43) |
| Sept. 28, 2015 | NC | HB 318 | Prohibits Local Governments from Recognizing Identity Documents issued by Foreign Governments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| Sept. 24, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2669 | Rescinds Funds from Planned Parenthood | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 52) |
| Sept. 24, 2015 | WI | AB 310 | Prohibits a Public Entity from Distributing Certain Funds to Abortion Clinics | Bill Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| Sept. 18, 2015 | National | HR 3134 | Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 187) |
| Sept. 11, 2015 | CA | AB 329 | Requires Age Appropriate Comprehensive Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| Sept. 10, 2015 | CA | AB 953 | Amends "Profiling" Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 30) |
| Sept. 10, 2015 | CA | AB 329 | Requires Age Appropriate Comprehensive Sex Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Sept. 9, 2015 | CA | AB 953 | Amends "Profiling" Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Sept. 4, 2015 | CA | AB 96 | Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21) |
| Sept. 2, 2015 | CA | AB 96 | Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Sept. 1, 2015 | CA | SB 707 | Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds | Bill Passed - House (54 - 24) |
| July 28, 2015 | WI | SB 209 | Appropriates Funds for New Sports and Entertainment Arena | Bill Passed - House (52 - 34) |
| July 23, 2015 | National | HR 3009 | Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act | Bill Passed - House (241 - 179) |
| July 21, 2015 | NC | SB 22 | Requires Approval to Remove Certain Historical Monuments | Bill Passed - House (70 - 39) |