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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Oct. 20, 2016 NJ S 51 Authorizes Restrictions on Solitary Confinement Bill Passed - House (45 - 26)
Sept. 28, 2016 National S 2040 Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act Veto Override Passed - House (348 - 77)
Sept. 15, 2016 National HR 5351 To Prohibit the Transfer of Any Individual Detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Bill Passed - House (244 - 174)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO SB 656 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Veto Override Passed - House (112 - 41)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA SB 1241 Amends Current Provisions of Labor Contracts Bill Passed - House (54 - 21)
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)
June 30, 2016 CA AB 1674 Limits the Purchase of Firearms Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 34)
June 30, 2016 CA AB 1135 Prohibits Firearms with Bullet Button Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30)
June 30, 2016 CA AB 1695 Prohibits Falsely Reporting the Loss or Theft of a Firearm Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 25)
June 30, 2016 CA AB 1695 Prohibits Falsely Reporting the Loss or Theft of a Firearm Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 25)
June 30, 2016 CA SB 1235 Requires Background Checks to Buy Ammunition Bill Passed - House (46 - 30)
June 30, 2016 CA SB 1446 Prohibits the Possession of High-Capacity Gun Magazines Bill Passed - House (44 - 31)
June 16, 2016 NJ A 3689 Requires Justifiable Need for Firearm Permits Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
June 1, 2016 CA AB 2607 Authorizes Certain Individuals to Request a Gun Violence Restraining Order Bill Passed - House (41 - 37)
May 31, 2016 CA AB 2466 Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons Bill Passed - House (41 - 37)
May 21, 2016 MN SF 498 Amends Police Body Camera Regulations Conference Report Adopted - House (96 - 34)
May 13, 2016 MO SB 656 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Conference Report Adopted - House (114 - 36)
May 11, 2016 AK SB 91 Amends Criminal Justice System Bill Passed - House (28 - 10)
May 11, 2016 NH SB 336 Amends Requirements to Obtain Concealed Carry License Bill Passed - House (217 - 132)
May 5, 2016 AZ SB 1377 Establishes Criminal Sentencing Requirements for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Failed - House (29 - 31)
May 4, 2016 AZ SB 1377 Establishes Criminal Sentencing Requirements for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Failed - House (28 - 32)
May 4, 2016 LA HB 453 Requires Sanctuary Cities to be Liable for Damages Caused by Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (65 - 20)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/20 S 51 Authorizes Restrictions on Solitary Confinement Bill Passed - House (45 - 26)
9/28 S 2040 Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act Veto Override Passed - House (348 - 77)
9/15 HR 5351 To Prohibit the Transfer of Any Individual Detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Bill Passed - House (244 - 174)
9/14 SB 656 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Veto Override Passed - House (112 - 41)
8/31 SB 1241 Amends Current Provisions of Labor Contracts Bill Passed - House (54 - 21)
8/18 SB 1322 Exempts Minors from Prostitution Charges Bill Passed - House (42 - 29)
8/04 SB 759 Authorizes Early Release for Certain Prisoners in Solitary Confinement Bill Passed - House (41 - 31)
6/30 AB 1674 Limits the Purchase of Firearms Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 34)
6/30 AB 1135 Prohibits Firearms with Bullet Button Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30)
6/30 AB 1695 Prohibits Falsely Reporting the Loss or Theft of a Firearm Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 25)
6/30 AB 1695 Prohibits Falsely Reporting the Loss or Theft of a Firearm Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 25)
6/30 SB 1235 Requires Background Checks to Buy Ammunition Bill Passed - House (46 - 30)
6/30 SB 1446 Prohibits the Possession of High-Capacity Gun Magazines Bill Passed - House (44 - 31)
6/16 A 3689 Requires Justifiable Need for Firearm Permits Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
6/01 AB 2607 Authorizes Certain Individuals to Request a Gun Violence Restraining Order Bill Passed - House (41 - 37)
5/31 AB 2466 Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons Bill Passed - House (41 - 37)
5/21 SF 498 Amends Police Body Camera Regulations Conference Report Adopted - House (96 - 34)
5/13 SB 656 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Conference Report Adopted - House (114 - 36)
5/11 SB 91 Amends Criminal Justice System Bill Passed - House (28 - 10)
5/11 SB 336 Amends Requirements to Obtain Concealed Carry License Bill Passed - House (217 - 132)
5/05 SB 1377 Establishes Criminal Sentencing Requirements for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Failed - House (29 - 31)
5/04 SB 1377 Establishes Criminal Sentencing Requirements for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Failed - House (28 - 32)
5/04 HB 453 Requires Sanctuary Cities to be Liable for Damages Caused by Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (65 - 20)
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)

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