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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 21, 2019 | AL | SB 69 | Repeals Marriage Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 0) |
| March 21, 2019 | AL | SB 119 | Repeals Common Core | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| March 28, 2018 | AL | HB 317 | Exempts Certain Individuals from Registering as Lobbyists | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| March 20, 2018 | AL | SB 311 | Authorizes Car Rental Taxes to be Used for Birmingham Stadium | Bill Passed - House (14 - 3) |
| March 15, 2018 | AL | HB 225 | Amends State Juvenile Justice Laws | Bill Passed - House (69 - 20) |
| March 1, 2018 | AL | HB 14 | Amends Driving-Under-the-Influence Laws | Bill Passed - House (44 - 42) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | AL | HB 34 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground' in Defense of Church Members | Bill Passed - House (40 - 16) |
| Jan. 30, 2018 | AL | HB 26 | Prohibits Smoking Tobacco in Cars where a Minor is Present | Bill Passed - House (41 - 30) |
| Jan. 25, 2018 | AL | SB 92 | Reduces Time Period of Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| Jan. 23, 2018 | AL | HB 17 | Repeals Special Elections | Bill Passed - House (67 - 31) |
| May 16, 2017 | AL | SB 187 | Reduces Time to File Appeals for Death Row Inmates | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| May 11, 2017 | AL | SB 200 | Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| May 4, 2017 | AL | HB 155 | Establishes Budget for 2017-2018 | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
| April 27, 2017 | AL | SB 60 | Prohibits Alteration or Removal of Historic Markers | Bill Passed - House (72 - 29) |
| April 25, 2017 | AL | HB 315 | Authorizes Midwives to Practice in Alabama | Bill Passed - House (84 - 11) |
| April 18, 2017 | AL | SB 12 | Authorizes Use of Nitrogen in Death Penalty Executions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| April 11, 2017 | AL | SB 193 | Authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian Church to Form a Police Force | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
| April 4, 2017 | AL | SB 16 | Prohibits Judicial Override of Sentencing Decisions | Bill Passed - House (78 - 19) |
| April 4, 2017 | AL | SB 129 | Establishes Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
| March 16, 2017 | AL | HB 24 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - House (60 - 14) |
| Aug. 19, 2016 | AL | SB 3 | Establishes State Lottery | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| May 4, 2016 | AL | SB 363 | Prohibits Dilation and Evacuation Abortion | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| April 28, 2016 | AL | SB 287 | Appropriates Funds for New Prison Facilities | Bill Passed - House (52 - 33) |
| April 7, 2016 | AL | SB 237 | Establishes Innocence Inquiry Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6) |
| April 5, 2016 | AL | SB 287 | Appropriates Funds for New Prison Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| April 5, 2016 | AL | SB 14 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns in Vehicles without a Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| March 22, 2016 | AL | SB 205 | Prohibits Abortion Clinics from being Located Near Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| March 15, 2016 | AL | SB 125 | 2016-2017 Budget | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| March 15, 2016 | AL | SB 143 | Amends Marriage License Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 3) |
| March 3, 2016 | AL | SB 13 | Prohibits Removal of Momuments on Public Property | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| Feb. 25, 2016 | AL | HB 174 | Prohibits Local Governments from Establishing Wage or Employee Benefits Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Feb. 25, 2016 | AL | SB 125 | 2016-2017 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| Feb. 17, 2016 | AL | HB 45 | Prohibits Fetal Tissue from Being Sold or Used for Research | Bill Passed - House (76 - 24) |
| Feb. 16, 2016 | AL | HB 174 | Prohibits Local Governments from Establishing Wage or Employee Benefits Requirements | Bill Passed - House (71 - 31) |
| Feb. 11, 2016 | AL | HB 37 | Prohibits Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions | Bill Failed - House (60 - 24) |
| Sept. 16, 2015 | AL | HB 1 | 2015-2016 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 21) |
| Sept. 16, 2015 | AL | HB 1 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| Sept. 15, 2015 | AL | HB 3 | Increases Cigarette Taxes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 42) |
| Sept. 15, 2015 | AL | SB 21 | Repeals Marriage Licenses | Bill Failed - House (53 - 36) |
| Sept. 15, 2015 | AL | HB 3 | Increases Cigarette Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Sept. 15, 2015 | AL | HB 8 | Amends Budget for the Fiscal Year 2015-2016 | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| Sept. 11, 2015 | AL | HB 1 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
| Sept. 10, 2015 | AL | HB 8 | Amends Budget for the Fiscal Year 2015-2016 | Bill Passed - House (53 - 38) |
| Sept. 10, 2015 | AL | HB 3 | Increases Cigarette Taxes | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| June 4, 2015 | AL | HB 135 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| June 3, 2015 | AL | SB 71 | Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 14) |
| June 3, 2015 | AL | SB 216 | Authorizes Certain Agencies to Raise Fees | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| May 28, 2015 | AL | SB 71 | Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations | Bill Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| May 19, 2015 | AL | HB 135 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - House (66 - 36) |
| May 19, 2015 | AL | SB 377 | Requires Marrying Couples to Sign a Marriage Contract | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/21 | SB 69 | Repeals Marriage Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 0) |
| 3/21 | SB 119 | Repeals Common Core | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 3/28 | HB 317 | Exempts Certain Individuals from Registering as Lobbyists | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| 3/20 | SB 311 | Authorizes Car Rental Taxes to be Used for Birmingham Stadium | Bill Passed - House (14 - 3) |
| 3/15 | HB 225 | Amends State Juvenile Justice Laws | Bill Passed - House (69 - 20) |
| 3/01 | HB 14 | Amends Driving-Under-the-Influence Laws | Bill Passed - House (44 - 42) |
| 2/15 | HB 34 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground' in Defense of Church Members | Bill Passed - House (40 - 16) |
| 1/30 | HB 26 | Prohibits Smoking Tobacco in Cars where a Minor is Present | Bill Passed - House (41 - 30) |
| 1/25 | SB 92 | Reduces Time Period of Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 1/23 | HB 17 | Repeals Special Elections | Bill Passed - House (67 - 31) |
| 5/16 | SB 187 | Reduces Time to File Appeals for Death Row Inmates | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 5/11 | SB 200 | Prohibits Criminal History Inquiries by Employers | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| 5/04 | HB 155 | Establishes Budget for 2017-2018 | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
| 4/27 | SB 60 | Prohibits Alteration or Removal of Historic Markers | Bill Passed - House (72 - 29) |
| 4/25 | HB 315 | Authorizes Midwives to Practice in Alabama | Bill Passed - House (84 - 11) |
| 4/18 | SB 12 | Authorizes Use of Nitrogen in Death Penalty Executions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| 4/11 | SB 193 | Authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian Church to Form a Police Force | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
| 4/04 | SB 16 | Prohibits Judicial Override of Sentencing Decisions | Bill Passed - House (78 - 19) |
| 4/04 | SB 129 | Establishes Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
| 3/16 | HB 24 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - House (60 - 14) |
| 8/19 | SB 3 | Establishes State Lottery | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 5/04 | SB 363 | Prohibits Dilation and Evacuation Abortion | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 4/28 | SB 287 | Appropriates Funds for New Prison Facilities | Bill Passed - House (52 - 33) |
| 4/07 | SB 237 | Establishes Innocence Inquiry Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6) |
| 4/05 | SB 287 | Appropriates Funds for New Prison Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 4/05 | SB 14 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns in Vehicles without a Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 3/22 | SB 205 | Prohibits Abortion Clinics from being Located Near Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 3/15 | SB 125 | 2016-2017 Budget | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| 3/15 | SB 143 | Amends Marriage License Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 3) |
| 3/03 | SB 13 | Prohibits Removal of Momuments on Public Property | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 2/25 | HB 174 | Prohibits Local Governments from Establishing Wage or Employee Benefits Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 2/25 | SB 125 | 2016-2017 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 2/17 | HB 45 | Prohibits Fetal Tissue from Being Sold or Used for Research | Bill Passed - House (76 - 24) |
| 2/16 | HB 174 | Prohibits Local Governments from Establishing Wage or Employee Benefits Requirements | Bill Passed - House (71 - 31) |
| 2/11 | HB 37 | Prohibits Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions | Bill Failed - House (60 - 24) |
| 9/16 | HB 1 | 2015-2016 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 21) |
| 9/16 | HB 1 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 9/15 | HB 3 | Increases Cigarette Taxes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 42) |
| 9/15 | SB 21 | Repeals Marriage Licenses | Bill Failed - House (53 - 36) |
| 9/15 | HB 3 | Increases Cigarette Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 9/15 | HB 8 | Amends Budget for the Fiscal Year 2015-2016 | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 9/11 | HB 1 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
| 9/10 | HB 8 | Amends Budget for the Fiscal Year 2015-2016 | Bill Passed - House (53 - 38) |
| 9/10 | HB 3 | Increases Cigarette Taxes | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 6/04 | HB 135 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 6/03 | SB 71 | Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 6/03 | SB 216 | Authorizes Certain Agencies to Raise Fees | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| 5/28 | SB 71 | Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations | Bill Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| 5/19 | HB 135 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - House (66 - 36) |
| 5/19 | SB 377 | Requires Marrying Couples to Sign a Marriage Contract | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3) |