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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
April 29, 2015 MI HB 4151 Repeals Age Limit for Possession of an Air Gun Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
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 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 23, 2015 TX SB 158 Authorizes Grants for Body-Worn Cameras to Certain Law Enforcement Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
April 21, 2015 MT SB 245 Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
April 21, 2015 MT SB 284 Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
April 16, 2015 TN HB 995 Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 6)
April 16, 2015 NV SB 443 Authorizes Businesses to Place Sports Bets Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10)
April 16, 2015 TN SB 612 Authorizes Certain Students to be Charged In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
April 14, 2015 IN HB 1453 Authorizes Deer Hunting Preserves Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
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 13, 2015 TN SB 874 Authorizes Exploding Targets for Sporting Use Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 3)
April 9, 2015 IN HB 1540 Authorizes Riverboat Casinos to Relocate Inland Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
April 9, 2015 TX SB 10 Transfers Public Integrity Unit to Texas Rangers Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
April 6, 2015 ID S 1011 Repeals Authorization of Gambling on Past Horse Races Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 16)
April 2, 2015 IN SB 50 Specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Does Not Authorize Discrimination Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
April 2, 2015 IN SB 50 Specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Does Not Authorize Discrimination Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
April 2, 2015 ND HB 1328 Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Without a Warrant Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
April 2, 2015 ND HB 1328 Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Without a Warrant Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
April 1, 2015 TN HB 995 Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/29 HB 4151 Repeals Age Limit for Possession of an Air Gun Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
4/28 SB 913 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
4/28 SB 268 Amends Definition of "Person" for Assault and Homicide Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
4/28 SB 268 Amends Definition of "Person" for Assault and Homicide Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
4/23 SF 878 Authorizes Gun Silencers and Expands Ex-Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22)
4/23 SF 878 Authorizes Gun Silencers and Expands Ex-Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22)
4/23 SB 158 Authorizes Grants for Body-Worn Cameras to Certain Law Enforcement Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
4/21 SB 245 Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
4/21 SB 284 Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
4/16 HB 995 Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 6)
4/16 SB 443 Authorizes Businesses to Place Sports Bets Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10)
4/16 SB 612 Authorizes Certain Students to be Charged In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
4/14 HB 1453 Authorizes Deer Hunting Preserves Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
4/14 HB 7013 Amends Child Adoption Laws Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
4/14 HB 7013 Amends Child Adoption Laws Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
4/14 SB 941 Requires Background Checks For Firearm Transfers Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
4/13 SB 874 Authorizes Exploding Targets for Sporting Use Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 3)
4/09 HB 1540 Authorizes Riverboat Casinos to Relocate Inland Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
4/09 SB 10 Transfers Public Integrity Unit to Texas Rangers Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
4/06 S 1011 Repeals Authorization of Gambling on Past Horse Races Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 16)
4/02 SB 50 Specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Does Not Authorize Discrimination Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
4/02 SB 50 Specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Does Not Authorize Discrimination Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
4/02 HB 1328 Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Without a Warrant Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
4/02 HB 1328 Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Without a Warrant Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
4/01 HB 995 Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)

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