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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2016 | TN | HB 1416 | Prohibits Driving in Left Lane without Passing Other Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| March 28, 2016 | CO | HB 1296 | Increases Penalties for Unlicensed Car Dealers | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| March 25, 2016 | MS | SB 2237 | Establishes Identity Protections for Execution Teams | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| March 24, 2016 | TN | HB 1679 | Requires a Claimant to Pay for Defendant Attorney Fees in Certain Legal Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| March 24, 2016 | AZ | HB 2451 | Amends Requirements for Release of Undocumented Inmates | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 24, 2016 | MI | HB 4787 | Prohibits Coercing a Pregnant Woman to Have an Abortion | Bill Passed - House (65 - 43) |
| March 21, 2016 | MD | HB 1016 | Amends Certain Law Enforcement Procedures | Bill Passed - House (92 - 44) |
| March 17, 2016 | National | H Res 639 | Authorizing the Speaker to Appear as Amicus Curiae on Behalf of the House of Representatives in the Matter of United States, et al. v. Texas, et al., No. 15-674 | Resolution Passed - House (234 - 186) |
| March 16, 2016 | ID | S 1389 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| March 15, 2016 | KY | HB 160 | Establishes 1-for-1 Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| March 12, 2016 | MD | HB 1002 | Prohibits Firearms on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (81 - 54) |
| March 11, 2016 | VA | HB 815 | Amends Death Penalty Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 17) |
| March 11, 2016 | VA | HB 815 | Amends Death Penalty Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 32) |
| March 11, 2016 | GA | HB 859 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms at Institutions of Higher Education | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17) |
| March 10, 2016 | IN | HB 1127 | Establishes Regulations on Lawsuit Funding Practices | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 32) |
| March 10, 2016 | IN | HB 1127 | Establishes Regulations on Lawsuit Funding Practices | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
| March 10, 2016 | OK | HB 2504 | Expands Punishments for Theft of Domestic Animals | Bill Passed - House (71 - 21) |
| March 10, 2016 | OK | HB 3098 | Amends License and Training Requirements for Gun Possession | Bill Passed - House (73 - 15) |
| March 10, 2016 | NH | HB 1270 | Requires Courts to Notify Jurors of Jury Nullification | Bill Passed - House (184 - 145) |
| March 9, 2016 | FL | HB 1411 | Amends Requirements for Disposal of Fetal Tissue | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (76 - 40) |
| March 9, 2016 | FL | HB 1411 | Amends Requirements for Disposal of Fetal Tissue | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| March 9, 2016 | FL | HB 4027 | Prohibits Traffic Infraction Detectors | Bill Passed - House (83 - 33) |
| March 8, 2016 | WA | HB 2362 | Amends Police Body Camera Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| March 8, 2016 | IA | SF 2284 | Amends Definition of Hate Crime to Include Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| March 4, 2016 | WV | HB 4145 | Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit | Veto Override Passed - House (64 - 33) |