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
May 4, 2016 LA SB 127 Authorizes Parole Hearings for Juveniles Serving Life Terms Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
May 4, 2016 LA HB 453 Requires Sanctuary Cities to be Liable for Damages Caused by Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (65 - 20)
May 2, 2016 CA SB 1129 Repeals Minimum Sentences for Repeat Prostitution Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
April 27, 2016 LA HB 598 Amends Voter Registration Policies for Convicted Felons Bill Failed - House (37 - 60)
April 26, 2016 AZ SB 1257 Authorizes Concelead Carry of Firearms in Public Places Bill Passed - House (35 - 23)
April 25, 2016 CA SB 966 Prohibits Extending Sentences for Repeat Drug Offenders Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 16)
April 25, 2016 CA SB 966 Prohibits Extending Sentences for Repeat Drug Offenders Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 16)
April 21, 2016 DE HB 325 Amends Requirements for Purchasing a Firearm Bill Passed - House (22 - 17)
April 20, 2016 VA HB 815 Amends Death Penalty Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
April 20, 2016 VA HB 815 Amends Death Penalty Procedures Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
April 20, 2016 TN SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
April 19, 2016 TN SJR 467 Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
April 19, 2016 TN SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
April 18, 2016 TN SJR 467 Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program Bill Passed - House (69 - 25)
April 14, 2016 MO SR 1794 Requires Dr. James Miller to Appear Before the Senate Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
April 14, 2016 MO SR 1793 Requires Mary Kogut to Appear Before the Senate Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
April 7, 2016 HI SB 2954 Requires Gun Owners to Register in Database Bill Passed - House (26 - 21)
April 7, 2016 AK SB 174 Prohibits the University of Alaska from Regulating Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 5)
April 7, 2016 AL SB 237 Establishes Innocence Inquiry Commission Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
April 7, 2016 AL SB 237 Establishes Innocence Inquiry Commission Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
April 7, 2016 AL SB 237 Establishes Innocence Inquiry Commission Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
April 5, 2016 IL SB 2465 Prohibits Certain Lawsuits against Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 19)
April 5, 2016 IL SB 2465 Prohibits Certain Lawsuits against Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 19)
April 5, 2016 AL SB 14 Authorizes Concealed Handguns in Vehicles without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
April 5, 2016 LA HB 580 Limits Time Frame for Real Estate Appraisal Lawsuits Bill Failed - House (45 - 47)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/04 SB 127 Authorizes Parole Hearings for Juveniles Serving Life Terms Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
5/04 HB 453 Requires Sanctuary Cities to be Liable for Damages Caused by Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (65 - 20)
5/02 SB 1129 Repeals Minimum Sentences for Repeat Prostitution Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
4/27 HB 598 Amends Voter Registration Policies for Convicted Felons Bill Failed - House (37 - 60)
4/26 SB 1257 Authorizes Concelead Carry of Firearms in Public Places Bill Passed - House (35 - 23)
4/25 SB 966 Prohibits Extending Sentences for Repeat Drug Offenders Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 16)
4/25 SB 966 Prohibits Extending Sentences for Repeat Drug Offenders Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 16)
4/21 HB 325 Amends Requirements for Purchasing a Firearm Bill Passed - House (22 - 17)
4/20 HB 815 Amends Death Penalty Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
4/20 HB 815 Amends Death Penalty Procedures Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
4/20 SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
4/19 SJR 467 Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
4/19 SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
4/18 SJR 467 Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program Bill Passed - House (69 - 25)
4/14 SR 1794 Requires Dr. James Miller to Appear Before the Senate Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
4/14 SR 1793 Requires Mary Kogut to Appear Before the Senate Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
4/07 SB 2954 Requires Gun Owners to Register in Database Bill Passed - House (26 - 21)
4/07 SB 174 Prohibits the University of Alaska from Regulating Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 5)
4/07 SB 237 Establishes Innocence Inquiry Commission Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
4/07 SB 237 Establishes Innocence Inquiry Commission Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
4/07 SB 237 Establishes Innocence Inquiry Commission Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
4/05 SB 2465 Prohibits Certain Lawsuits against Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 19)
4/05 SB 2465 Prohibits Certain Lawsuits against Inmates Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 19)
4/05 SB 14 Authorizes Concealed Handguns in Vehicles without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
4/05 HB 580 Limits Time Frame for Real Estate Appraisal Lawsuits Bill Failed - House (45 - 47)

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