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
Sept. 28, 2016 OH SB 329 Requires the Legislature to Review State Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO HB 1870 Reauthorizes Small Business Tax Deductions Veto Override Failed - Senate (18 - 12)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA AB 2002 Requires Coastal Commission Members to Disclose Private Meetings Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 13)
Aug. 30, 2016 CA AB 385 Repeals Daylight Savings Time Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 19)
Aug. 23, 2016 CA AB 385 Repeals Daylight Savings Time Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 17)
Aug. 22, 2016 CA AB 197 Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 17, 2016 CA AB 1887 Prohibits State-Funded Travel to Certain States Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Aug. 16, 2016 CA AB 2466 Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
June 27, 2016 NC SB 897 Establishes Electoral Districts for City of Asheville Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
June 13, 2016 NC HB 169 Repeals Recycling Program Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
June 6, 2016 AK SB 128 Amends Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Policy Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
May 30, 2016 LA SB 227 Authorizes REAL ID Driver's Licenses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate
May 25, 2016 OH SB 296 Requires Bond for Extended Polling Hours Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
May 23, 2016 CA SB 1190 Prohibits Coastal Commission from Engaging in Ex Parte Communications Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 19, 2016 IL SB 250 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 16)
May 10, 2016 MI SB 853 Prohibits Cities from Restricting Plastic Bags Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
May 4, 2016 AZ SB 1268 Exempts Cities from Assured Water Supply Requirement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
May 3, 2016 MO HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
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 13, 2016 NE LB 580 Establishes Independent Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/28 SB 329 Requires the Legislature to Review State Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
9/14 HB 1870 Reauthorizes Small Business Tax Deductions Veto Override Failed - Senate (18 - 12)
9/14 HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
8/31 AB 2002 Requires Coastal Commission Members to Disclose Private Meetings Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 13)
8/30 AB 385 Repeals Daylight Savings Time Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 19)
8/23 AB 385 Repeals Daylight Savings Time Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 17)
8/22 AB 197 Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/17 AB 1887 Prohibits State-Funded Travel to Certain States Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
8/16 AB 2466 Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
6/27 SB 897 Establishes Electoral Districts for City of Asheville Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
6/13 HB 169 Repeals Recycling Program Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
6/06 SB 128 Amends Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Policy Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
5/30 SB 227 Authorizes REAL ID Driver's Licenses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate
5/25 SB 296 Requires Bond for Extended Polling Hours Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
5/23 SB 1190 Prohibits Coastal Commission from Engaging in Ex Parte Communications Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/19 SB 250 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 16)
5/10 SB 853 Prohibits Cities from Restricting Plastic Bags Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
5/04 SB 1268 Exempts Cities from Assured Water Supply Requirement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
5/03 HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
4/21 SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
4/21 SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
4/21 SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
4/21 SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
4/19 SJR 467 Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
4/13 LB 580 Establishes Independent Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 15)

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