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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 29, 2016 | IA | SF 2222 | Authorizes Pharmacists to Dispense Over-the-Counter Birth Control | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| Feb. 25, 2016 | IA | SF 2289 | Expands Criminal Offenses for Animal Mistreatment | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| March 17, 2015 | IA | SF 334 | Prohibits Sexual-Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| March 12, 2015 | IA | SF 166 | Authorizes Fantasy Sports Leagues | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| May 1, 2014 | IA | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| April 30, 2014 | IA | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Bill Passed - House (77 - 20) |
| April 24, 2014 | IA | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| April 30, 2013 | IA | HF 638 | Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 17, 2013 | IA | SF 295 | Establishes a Business Property Tax Credit Fund | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| April 16, 2013 | IA | SF 440 | Appropriates Funds for Mental Health Services | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| April 8, 2013 | IA | HF 619 | Authorizes Use of All-Terrain Vehicles on Certain Roads | Bill Passed - House (75 - 22) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | IA | HF 215 | Appropriates Education Funding and Establishes New Programs | Bill Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | IA | SF 162 | Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| Jan. 30, 2013 | IA | SF 52 | Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| May 9, 2012 | IA | SF 2315 | Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31) |
| May 8, 2012 | IA | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| May 7, 2012 | IA | HF 2475 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| April 24, 2012 | IA | HF 2460 | Limits Tax Increment Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 3, 2012 | IA | HF 2450 | Prohibits the Use of Traffic Cameras | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |
| March 13, 2012 | IA | SF 2275 | Authorizes Internet Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | IA | HF 589 | Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 28) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | IA | HF 589 | Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | IA | HF 2274 | Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |