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 28, 2020 | LA | SB 270 | Increases Daily Compensation Paid to Jurors in Civil Cases | Bill Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| May 22, 2020 | LA | HB 241 | Amends Certain Requirements of the Records Expungement Process | Bill Passed - House (73 - 19) |
| May 22, 2020 | LA | HB 334 | Authorizes Concealed Handgun Permit Holders to Carry Inside Places of Worship | Bill Passed - House (72 - 24) |
| May 15, 2020 | LA | HB 173 | Expands Parole Eligibility for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Bill Passed - House (68 - 22) |
| May 22, 2019 | LA | HB 506 | Establishes Task Force for Law Enforcement Data Collection | Bill Passed - House (77 - 20) |
| May 7, 2019 | LA | HB 431 | Authorizes Inmates Trained in the Angola Hospice Program to Receive Certification for Similar Work Outside of Prison | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| May 15, 2018 | LA | SB 389 | Amends Probation Regulations | Bill Passed - House (81 - 6) |
| May 15, 2018 | LA | SB 389 | Amends Probation Regulations | Bill Passed - House (81 - 6) |
| May 24, 2017 | LA | HB 269 | Establishes Protections of Free Speech on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (66 - 26) |
| May 4, 2016 | LA | HB 453 | Requires Sanctuary Cities to be Liable for Damages Caused by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (65 - 20) |
| April 27, 2016 | LA | HB 598 | Amends Voter Registration Policies for Convicted Felons | Bill Failed - House (37 - 60) |
| April 5, 2016 | LA | HB 580 | Limits Time Frame for Real Estate Appraisal Lawsuits | Bill Failed - House (45 - 47) |
| May 13, 2015 | LA | HB 149 | Amends Penalties for Marijuana Possesion | Bill Passed - House (54 - 37) |
| May 29, 2014 | LA | SB 469 | Prohibits Government Entities from Pursuing Cause of Action under the Coastal Management Program | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| April 15, 2014 | LA | HB 12 | Repeals Certain "Crimes Against Nature" | Bill Failed - House (27 - 67) |
| April 9, 2014 | LA | HB 72 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Weapons in Restaurants That Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (79 - 19) |
| June 2, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12) |
| May 6, 2013 | LA | HB 45 | Establishes Licenses for the In-State Sale and Manufacture of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (77 - 20) |
| April 24, 2013 | LA | HB 265 | Establishes Lifetime Concealed Handgun Permits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 19) |
| April 23, 2013 | LA | HB 8 | Prohibits Disclosure of Concealed Firearm Permit Information | Bill Passed - House (76 - 18) |
| April 23, 2013 | LA | HB 5 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| April 23, 2013 | LA | HB 5 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| May 24, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| May 15, 2012 | LA | HB 380 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (65 - 26) |
| 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 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 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 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 19, 2010 | LA | HB 224 | Withholding Pension Benefits from Incarcerated Public Employees | Bill Failed - House (42 - 56) |
| June 18, 2009 | LA | HB 340 | Religious Freedom Constitutional Amendment | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (53 - 26) |
| June 17, 2009 | LA | HB 499 | Seat Belt Law | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 12) |
| June 16, 2009 | LA | HB 11 | Designating Driver's Licenses for Drug Dealers | Bill Failed - House (68 - 23) |
| June 16, 2009 | LA | HB 11 | Designating Driver's Licenses for Drug Dealers | Bill Failed - House (68 - 23) |
| June 16, 2009 | LA | HB 11 | Designating Driver's Licenses for Drug Dealers | Bill Failed - House (68 - 23) |
| June 2, 2009 | LA | HB 639 | Motorcycle Helmets | Bill Passed - House (64 - 33) |
| May 27, 2009 | LA | Amdt B-200 | Cell Phone Secondary Offense | Amendment Adopted - House (56 - 40) |
| May 27, 2009 | LA | HB 146 | Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| May 19, 2009 | LA | HB 517 | Health Care Protection | Bill Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| May 12, 2009 | LA | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| June 21, 2008 | LA | HB 906 | Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21) |
| June 20, 2008 | LA | SB 51 | Guns in Parked Locked Cars | Bill Passed - House (66 - 35) |
| June 20, 2008 | LA | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
| June 19, 2008 | LA | SB 137 | Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (70 - 19) |