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 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 6/18 | 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) |
| 6/02 | 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) |
| 5/06 | 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) |
| 4/19 | HB 224 | Withholding Pension Benefits from Incarcerated Public Employees | Bill Failed - House (42 - 56) |
| 6/18 | HB 340 | Religious Freedom Constitutional Amendment | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (53 - 26) |
| 6/17 | HB 499 | Seat Belt Law | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 12) |
| 6/16 | HB 11 | Designating Driver's Licenses for Drug Dealers | Bill Failed - House (68 - 23) |
| 6/16 | HB 11 | Designating Driver's Licenses for Drug Dealers | Bill Failed - House (68 - 23) |
| 6/16 | HB 11 | Designating Driver's Licenses for Drug Dealers | Bill Failed - House (68 - 23) |
| 6/02 | HB 639 | Motorcycle Helmets | Bill Passed - House (64 - 33) |
| 5/27 | Amdt B-200 | Cell Phone Secondary Offense | Amendment Adopted - House (56 - 40) |
| 5/27 | HB 146 | Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| 5/19 | HB 517 | Health Care Protection | Bill Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| 5/12 | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| 6/21 | HB 906 | Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21) |
| 6/20 | SB 51 | Guns in Parked Locked Cars | Bill Passed - House (66 - 35) |
| 6/20 | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
| 6/19 | SB 137 | Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (70 - 19) |