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) |
| 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) |