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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2015 | CO | SB 213 | Limits Immunity for Public Schools in Incidents of School Violence | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| April 29, 2015 | NH | SB 116 | Repeals License Requirement for Concealed Handguns | Bill Passed - House (212 - 150) |
| April 29, 2015 | MI | HB 4151 | Repeals Age Limit for Possession of an Air Gun | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| April 29, 2015 | NY | A 4958 | Classifies Conversion Therapy on Minors as Professional Misconduct | Bill Passed - House (111 - 26) |
| April 28, 2015 | OK | HB 1518 | Establishes the Justice Safety Valve Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 31) |
| April 28, 2015 | OR | SB 913 | Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| April 28, 2015 | CO | SB 268 | Amends Definition of "Person" for Assault and Homicide | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 28, 2015 | CO | SB 268 | Amends Definition of "Person" for Assault and Homicide | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 24, 2015 | FL | HB 943 | Amends Alimony Law | Bill Passed - House (93 - 22) |
| April 23, 2015 | TX | SB 158 | Authorizes Grants for Body-Worn Cameras to Certain Law Enforcement Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| April 23, 2015 | MN | SF 878 | Authorizes Gun Silencers and Expands Ex-Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22) |
| April 23, 2015 | MN | SF 878 | Authorizes Gun Silencers and Expands Ex-Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22) |
| April 22, 2015 | TN | SB 612 | Exempts Certain Students from Out-of-State Tuition | Bill Failed - House (49 - 47) |
| April 22, 2015 | CO | HB 1290 | Prohibits a Peace Office from Seizing a Recording Device Without Consent or Warrant | Bill Passed - House (47 - 16) |
| April 21, 2015 | MT | SB 284 | Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| April 21, 2015 | MT | SB 245 | Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| April 21, 2015 | NV | AB 244 | Classifies Certain Graffiti Offenses as a Felony | Bill Passed - House (24 - 18) |
| April 21, 2015 | TX | HB 1690 | Requires Texas Rangers to Investigate Public Corruption | Bill Passed - House (95 - 49) |
| April 21, 2015 | NV | AB 375 | Prohibits Students from Using Facilities Designated for the Opposite Sex | Bill Failed - House (20 - 22) |
| April 20, 2015 | TX | HB 910 | Authorizes Open Carry of Handguns | Bill Passed - House (101 - 42) |
| April 16, 2015 | TN | HB 995 | Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 6) |
| April 16, 2015 | TN | HB 995 | Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 25) |
| April 16, 2015 | TN | SB 612 | Authorizes Certain Students to be Charged In-State Tuition | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| April 16, 2015 | NV | SB 443 | Authorizes Businesses to Place Sports Bets | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| April 15, 2015 | MT | SB 245 | Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| April 15, 2015 | MT | SB 284 | Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| April 15, 2015 | TN | HB 615 | Establishes the Bible as the Official State Book | Bill Passed - House (55 - 38) |
| April 15, 2015 | NV | AB 121 | Prohibits Disciplining Students for Simulating Firearms | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| April 14, 2015 | WA | SB 5501 | Amends Animal Cruelty Regulations | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| April 14, 2015 | IN | HB 1453 | Authorizes Deer Hunting Preserves | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 27) |
| April 14, 2015 | WA | SB 5501 | Amends Animal Cruelty Regulations | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| April 14, 2015 | FL | HB 7013 | Amends Child Adoption Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| April 14, 2015 | FL | HB 7013 | Amends Child Adoption Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| April 14, 2015 | OR | SB 941 | Requires Background Checks For Firearm Transfers | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| April 14, 2015 | CO | HB 1288 | Amends Law Enforcing "Profiling" Regulations | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| April 13, 2015 | TN | SB 1110 | Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Gun Laws | Bill Passed - House (74 - 20) |
| April 13, 2015 | TN | SB 874 | Authorizes Exploding Targets for Sporting Use | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 3) |
| April 9, 2015 | ND | HB 1241 | Expands Locations Where Individuals Can Carry Firearms | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 19) |
| April 9, 2015 | IN | HB 1540 | Authorizes Riverboat Casinos to Relocate Inland | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| April 9, 2015 | WA | SB 5870 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
| April 9, 2015 | FL | SB 290 | Authorizes Concealed Carry During Emergency Evacuations | Bill Passed - House (86 - 26) |
| April 9, 2015 | FL | HB 7111 | Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - House (75 - 38) |
| April 9, 2015 | TX | SB 10 | Transfers Public Integrity Unit to Texas Rangers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| April 9, 2015 | FL | HB 7111 | Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - House (75 - 38) |
| April 8, 2015 | MD | SB 743 | Authorizes New Birth Certificates for Sex Changes | Bill Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| April 8, 2015 | MD | SB 190 | Amends Taxable Price for Sale or Use of Accommodations | Bill Passed - House (84 - 56) |
| April 6, 2015 | ID | S 1011 | Repeals Authorization of Gambling on Past Horse Races | Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| April 6, 2015 | TN | HB 995 | Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 17) |
| April 6, 2015 | NV | AB 148 | Authorizes Concealed Carry on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (24 - 15) |
| April 2, 2015 | IN | SB 50 | Specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Does Not Authorize Discrimination | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16) |