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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 24, 2015 | AZ | HB 2509 | Amends Aggravated Assault Classifications | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IN | SJR 12 | Authorizes the Use of Diverse Farming and Ranching Practices | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 28) |
| Feb. 23, 2015 | ND | HB 1328 | Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Without a Warrant | Bill Passed - House (74 - 19) |
| Feb. 23, 2015 | ND | HB 1328 | Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Without a Warrant | Bill Passed - House (74 - 19) |
| Feb. 20, 2015 | MT | HB 200 | Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
| Feb. 19, 2015 | CO | SB 32 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns Without a Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2015 | MT | HB 298 | Amends Concealed Weapons Regulations | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| Feb. 19, 2015 | MO | HJR 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (118 - 39) |
| Feb. 19, 2015 | CO | HB 1072 | Amends Definition of Harassment | Bill Passed - House (43 - 22) |
| Feb. 19, 2015 | MO | HB 30 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (118 - 37) |
| Feb. 17, 2015 | ID | S 1011 | Repeals Authorization of Gambling on Past Horse Races | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| Feb. 17, 2015 | ND | SB 2279 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| Feb. 13, 2015 | AR | SB 202 | Prohibits New Classes of Protected Individuals | Bill Passed - House (58 - 21) |
| Feb. 13, 2015 | AR | HB 1228 | Prohibits the State from Burdening the Exercise of Religion | Bill Passed - House (72 - 20) |
| Feb. 13, 2015 | NM | SB 253 | Prohibits Coyote Hunting Contests | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 12, 2015 | NH | SB 116 | Repeals License Requirement for Concealed Handguns | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| Feb. 12, 2015 | NM | HB 32 | Limits Driver's Licenses for Foreign Nationals | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| Feb. 12, 2015 | CO | SB 77 | Extends Parental Rights in Education and Health Care | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 11, 2015 | WY | HB 144 | Establishes a School Safety Tip Line | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Feb. 11, 2015 | MS | SB 2695 | Establishes Education Scholarship Accounts for Special Needs Students | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| Feb. 10, 2015 | SD | HB 1195 | Requires a Student's Gender Identity to be Determined by a Birth Certificate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2015 | WY | SF 115 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Idenity | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| Feb. 10, 2015 | SD | HB 1116 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (44 - 23) |
| Feb. 9, 2015 | WY | SF 14 | Amends Property Forfeiture Laws | Bill Passed - House (54 - 6) |
| Feb. 9, 2015 | MT | HB 203 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Federal Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | MT | SB 143 | Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | SD | SB 57 | Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | SD | HB 1096 | Requires Background Check for Concealed Carry Permit | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | AZ | HB 2128 | Exempts Religious Organizations from Certain Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | NJ | S 866 | Authorizes Gestational Surrogacy Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | NJ | S 866 | Authorizes Gestational Surrogacy Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | MT | HB 250 | Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Firearms to Hunt Non-Protected Animals | Bill Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | MT | HB 250 | Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Firearms to Hunt Non-Protected Animals | Bill Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| Feb. 3, 2015 | IN | SB 127 | Authorizes Religious Organizations to Hire Based on Religion | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| Feb. 3, 2015 | MI | SB 34 | Amends Concealed Carry Licensing Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| Feb. 3, 2015 | IN | SB 433 | Authorizes Possession of Sawed-off Shotguns | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 6) |
| Feb. 3, 2015 | VA | SB 785 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
| Feb. 3, 2015 | MT | HB 212 | Amends Definitions of Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| Feb. 2, 2015 | WY | HB 114 | Authorizes Concealed Carry in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |
| Feb. 2, 2015 | MT | SB 154 | Amends Requirement to Wear Hunter Orange while Hunting | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| Jan. 23, 2015 | WY | SF 14 | Amends Property Forfeiture Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 3) |
| Jan. 21, 2015 | WY | HB 18 | Limits the Use of Drones by Law Enforcement Agencies | Bill Passed - House (41 - 19) |
| Jan. 20, 2015 | VA | SB 722 | Prohibits In-State Tuition for Students with Certain Temporary Visas | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20) |
| Jan. 14, 2015 | National | HR 240 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (236 - 191) |