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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 17, 2013 | LA | SB 147 | Prohibits the Use of Social Media While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| May 29, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| May 29, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| May 24, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| May 22, 2012 | LA | HB 543 | Parole Eligibility for Nonviolent Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 15, 2012 | LA | HB 380 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (65 - 26) |
| April 9, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| June 21, 2011 | LA | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| June 7, 2011 | LA | HB 138 | Parole Eligibility for Elderly Inmates | Bill Passed - House (65 - 25) |
| May 17, 2011 | LA | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (67 - 26) |
| May 4, 2011 | LA | HB 52 | Increasing New Orleans Traffic Court Costs | Bill Failed - House (49 - 22) |
| June 20, 2010 | LA | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| June 18, 2010 | LA | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Bill Passed - House (80 - 10) |
| June 17, 2010 | LA | HB 1272 | Authorizing Handguns in of Places of Worship | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 26) |
| June 15, 2010 | LA | HB 1272 | Authorizing Handguns in of Places of Worship | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| June 14, 2010 | LA | HB 195 | Inmate Parole Modifications | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| June 3, 2010 | LA | SB 593 | Governor's Office Records | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 24) |
| June 2, 2010 | LA | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (69 - 22) |
| May 26, 2010 | LA | SB 38 | Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting | Bill Passed - House (73 - 13) |
| May 13, 2010 | LA | HB 554 | Prohibiting Release on Own Recognizance for Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (63 - 20) |
| May 12, 2010 | LA | SB 348 | Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 6, 2010 | LA | HB 863 | Prohibits Hand-Held Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Failed - House (49 - 41) |
| May 6, 2010 | LA | HB 68 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Places of Worship | Bill Failed - House (45 - 39) |
| April 28, 2010 | LA | HB 617 | Expanding Drug Testing Requirements for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (61 - 27) |
| April 28, 2010 | LA | SB 38 | Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/17 | SB 147 | Prohibits the Use of Social Media While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| 5/29 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| 5/29 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| 5/24 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| 5/22 | HB 543 | Parole Eligibility for Nonviolent Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/15 | HB 380 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (65 - 26) |
| 4/09 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 6/21 | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 6/07 | HB 138 | Parole Eligibility for Elderly Inmates | Bill Passed - House (65 - 25) |
| 5/17 | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (67 - 26) |
| 5/04 | HB 52 | Increasing New Orleans Traffic Court Costs | Bill Failed - House (49 - 22) |
| 6/20 | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 6/18 | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Bill Passed - House (80 - 10) |
| 6/17 | HB 1272 | Authorizing Handguns in of Places of Worship | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 26) |
| 6/15 | HB 1272 | Authorizing Handguns in of Places of Worship | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 6/14 | HB 195 | Inmate Parole Modifications | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 6/03 | SB 593 | Governor's Office Records | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 24) |
| 6/02 | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (69 - 22) |
| 5/26 | SB 38 | Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting | Bill Passed - House (73 - 13) |
| 5/13 | HB 554 | Prohibiting Release on Own Recognizance for Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (63 - 20) |
| 5/12 | SB 348 | Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/06 | HB 863 | Prohibits Hand-Held Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Failed - House (49 - 41) |
| 5/06 | HB 68 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Places of Worship | Bill Failed - House (45 - 39) |
| 4/28 | HB 617 | Expanding Drug Testing Requirements for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (61 - 27) |
| 4/28 | SB 38 | Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |