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.


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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)
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. 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. 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. 2, 2015 CA AB 96 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
July 15, 2015 WI SB 209 Appropriates Funds for New Sports and Entertainment Arena Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
July 13, 2015 PA SB 683 Requires DNA Sample from Individuals Arrested for Certain Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
July 3, 2015 OR SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
June 30, 2015 ME LD 652 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
June 29, 2015 CT HB 7104 Amends Drug Sentencing Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
June 25, 2015 OR SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
June 24, 2015 NC HB 640 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 15)
June 24, 2015 NC HB 640 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 15)
June 18, 2015 DE HB 39 Decriminalizes Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
June 17, 2015 ME LD 319 Authorizes Medicaid Coverage for Reproductive Care "Ought Not to Pass" Report Rejected - Senate (16 - 19)
June 16, 2015 DE HB 115 Authorizes Individuals to Change Name Based on Gender-Related Identity Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 5)
June 10, 2015 MI HB 4188 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Deny Services for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/03 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
12/03 S Amdt 2910 Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015 Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
12/03 S Amdt 2915 Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45)
10/21 SB 43 Amends John Doe Law Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
10/20 S 2146 Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
10/20 S 2146 Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
9/28 HB 318 Prohibits Local Governments from Recognizing Identity Documents issued by Foreign Governments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17)
9/24 S Amdt 2669 Rescinds Funds from Planned Parenthood Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 52)
9/10 AB 329 Requires Age Appropriate Comprehensive Sex Education Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
9/09 AB 953 Amends "Profiling" Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
9/02 AB 96 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
7/15 SB 209 Appropriates Funds for New Sports and Entertainment Arena Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
7/13 SB 683 Requires DNA Sample from Individuals Arrested for Certain Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
7/03 SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
6/30 LD 652 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
6/29 HB 7104 Amends Drug Sentencing Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
6/25 SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
6/24 HB 640 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 15)
6/24 HB 640 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 15)
6/18 HB 39 Decriminalizes Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
6/17 LD 319 Authorizes Medicaid Coverage for Reproductive Care "Ought Not to Pass" Report Rejected - Senate (16 - 19)
6/16 HB 115 Authorizes Individuals to Change Name Based on Gender-Related Identity Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 5)
6/10 HB 4188 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Deny Services for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
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)

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