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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 20, 2016 | NJ | S 51 | Authorizes Restrictions on Solitary Confinement | Bill Passed - House (45 - 26) |
| Oct. 20, 2016 | NJ | A 2451 | Authorizes Physicians to Prescribe Aid-in-Dying Drugs | Bill Passed - House (41 - 29) |
| Sept. 28, 2016 | National | S 2040 | Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act | Veto Override Passed - House (348 - 77) |
| Sept. 28, 2016 | National | HR 5325 | Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response and Preparedness Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (342 - 85) |
| Sept. 14, 2016 | MO | HB 1870 | Reauthorizes Small Business Tax Deductions | Veto Override Passed - House (113 - 43) |
| Sept. 14, 2016 | National | HR 5620 | VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act of 2016 | Bill Passed - House (310 - 116) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | AB 1671 | Prohibits Unauthorized Disclosure of Confidential Communications with Healthcare Providers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| Aug. 29, 2016 | CA | SB 1069 | Amends Requirements for Accessory Dwelling Units | Bill Passed - House (55 - 23) |
| Aug. 24, 2016 | CA | AB 197 | Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 30) |
| Aug. 23, 2016 | CA | AB 1887 | Prohibits State-Funded Travel to Certain States | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 21) |
| Aug. 22, 2016 | CA | SB 1150 | Authorizes Heirs to Receive Home Loan Information | Bill Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| Aug. 18, 2016 | CA | SB 1322 | Exempts Minors from Prostitution Charges | Bill Passed - House (42 - 29) |
| Aug. 4, 2016 | CA | SB 759 | Authorizes Early Release for Certain Prisoners in Solitary Confinement | Bill Passed - House (41 - 31) |
| July 7, 2016 | National | HR 4361 | Government Reform and Improvement Act of 2016 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 181) |
| June 30, 2016 | CA | AB 1695 | Prohibits Falsely Reporting the Loss or Theft of a Firearm | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 25) |
| June 23, 2016 | National | HR 2577 | Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017 | Conference Report Adopted - House (239 - 171) |
| June 9, 2016 | National | HR 5278 | Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) | Bill Passed - House (297 - 127) |
| June 9, 2016 | National | HR 5278 | Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) | Bill Passed - House (297 - 127) |
| June 2, 2016 | CA | AB 2002 | Requires Coastal Commission Members to Disclose Private Meetings | Bill Passed - House (54 - 23) |
| May 31, 2016 | CA | SB 10 | Authorizes Undocumented Immigrants to be Eligible for Health Coverage | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| May 31, 2016 | CA | AB 2466 | Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| May 24, 2016 | National | HR 897 | Zika Vector Control Act | Bill Passed - House (258 - 156) |
| May 21, 2016 | MN | SF 498 | Amends Police Body Camera Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - House (96 - 34) |
| May 11, 2016 | AK | SB 91 | Amends Criminal Justice System | Bill Passed - House (28 - 10) |
| May 5, 2016 | AZ | HB 2568 | Authorizes Developers to Levy Property Taxes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 26) |