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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2016 | OH | HB 110 | Authorizes Immunity for Individuals Reporting Drug Overdose | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| May 24, 2016 | National | HR 897 | Zika Vector Control Act | Bill Passed - House (258 - 156) |
| May 24, 2016 | National | HR 897 | Zika Vector Control Act | Bill Passed - House (258 - 156) |
| May 18, 2016 | IL | SB 3011 | Increases Smoking Age to 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| May 4, 2016 | AZ | SB 1400 | Amends Review Process for County Water Supply | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| May 4, 2016 | AZ | SB 1268 | Exempts Cities from Assured Water Supply Requirement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| April 28, 2016 | MA | S 2269 | Increases Smoking Age to 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| April 26, 2016 | MO | HB 1679 | Authorizes Pharmacists to Prescribe Oral Contraceptives | Bill Passed - House (97 - 50) |
| April 25, 2016 | CA | SB 966 | Prohibits Extending Sentences for Repeat Drug Offenders | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| April 22, 2016 | IA | HF 2460 | Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| April 22, 2016 | IA | HF 2460 | Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| April 21, 2016 | IL | HB 5576 | Requires Health Insurance Plans to Cover Birth Control | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
| April 21, 2016 | IL | HB 5576 | Requires Health Insurance Plans to Cover Birth Control | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
| April 20, 2016 | IA | HF 2460 | Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| April 20, 2016 | IA | HF 2460 | Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| April 18, 2016 | LA | SB 29 | Authorizes the Sale of Raw Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| April 14, 2016 | MO | HB 2069 | Prohibits Donation of Fetal Tissue | Bill Passed - House (120 - 34) |
| April 12, 2016 | HI | HB 2501 | Authorizes Extension for Water Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
| April 6, 2016 | TN | SB 1556 | Authorizes Therapists to Decline to Provide Services | Bill Passed - House (68 - 22) |
| March 31, 2016 | NH | HB 1696 | Amends Health Protection Program | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
| March 31, 2016 | MO | HB 1786 | Prohibits Powdered Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (95 - 56) |
| March 30, 2016 | MD | SB 323 | Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (97 - 39) |
| March 30, 2016 | AK | SB 1 | Prohibits Smoking in Public | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| March 23, 2016 | ME | LD 180 | Authorizes Terminally Ill Patients to Use Experimental Treatments | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| March 23, 2016 | MD | SB 1159 | Amends Baltimore Board of Liquor License Commissioners Appointment Regulations | Bill Passed - House (90 - 46) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/24 | HB 110 | Authorizes Immunity for Individuals Reporting Drug Overdose | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 5/24 | HR 897 | Zika Vector Control Act | Bill Passed - House (258 - 156) |
| 5/24 | HR 897 | Zika Vector Control Act | Bill Passed - House (258 - 156) |
| 5/18 | SB 3011 | Increases Smoking Age to 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| 5/04 | SB 1400 | Amends Review Process for County Water Supply | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 5/04 | SB 1268 | Exempts Cities from Assured Water Supply Requirement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 4/28 | S 2269 | Increases Smoking Age to 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| 4/26 | HB 1679 | Authorizes Pharmacists to Prescribe Oral Contraceptives | Bill Passed - House (97 - 50) |
| 4/25 | SB 966 | Prohibits Extending Sentences for Repeat Drug Offenders | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 4/22 | HF 2460 | Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 4/22 | HF 2460 | Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 4/21 | HB 5576 | Requires Health Insurance Plans to Cover Birth Control | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
| 4/21 | HB 5576 | Requires Health Insurance Plans to Cover Birth Control | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
| 4/20 | HF 2460 | Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| 4/20 | HF 2460 | Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| 4/18 | SB 29 | Authorizes the Sale of Raw Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 4/14 | HB 2069 | Prohibits Donation of Fetal Tissue | Bill Passed - House (120 - 34) |
| 4/12 | HB 2501 | Authorizes Extension for Water Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
| 4/06 | SB 1556 | Authorizes Therapists to Decline to Provide Services | Bill Passed - House (68 - 22) |
| 3/31 | HB 1696 | Amends Health Protection Program | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
| 3/31 | HB 1786 | Prohibits Powdered Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (95 - 56) |
| 3/30 | SB 323 | Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (97 - 39) |
| 3/30 | SB 1 | Prohibits Smoking in Public | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| 3/23 | LD 180 | Authorizes Terminally Ill Patients to Use Experimental Treatments | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 3/23 | SB 1159 | Amends Baltimore Board of Liquor License Commissioners Appointment Regulations | Bill Passed - House (90 - 46) |