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. 11, 2015 | MS | SB 2695 | Establishes Education Scholarship Accounts for Special Needs Students | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | MS | SB 2563 | Requires Universities to Develop a Plan of Action for Unplanned Pregnancies | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| April 10, 2012 | MS | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| Jan. 18, 2011 | MS | SB 2179 | Restrictions on Employers of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| March 27, 2010 | MS | SB 2293 | Allowing "Under-Performing" Schools to Become Charter Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | MS | SB 2548 | Identification Requirements to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| May 22, 2008 | MS | SB 2004 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| April 16, 2008 | MS | SB 2199 | Gaming Restrictions | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 26) |
| March 19, 2008 | MS | HB 1089 | Legalizing Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| March 19, 2008 | MS | HB 1089 | Legalizing Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MS | SB 2206 | Radar Speed Detection | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | MS | SB 2550 | Covenant Marriage Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | MS | SB 2550 | Covenant Marriage Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | SB 2468 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | MS | SB 2199 | Gaming Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| Feb. 1, 2008 | MS | SB 2037 | Requirements for Public Works Laborers | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| March 8, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 2) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | MS | SB 2617 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| March 8, 2006 | MS | HB 1089 | Wildlife Feeding Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| March 8, 2006 | MS | HB 1089 | Wildlife Feeding Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| Jan. 27, 2006 | MS | HB 409 | Seat Belt Law | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| Jan. 27, 2006 | MS | HB 409 | Seat Belt Law | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/11 | SB 2695 | Establishes Education Scholarship Accounts for Special Needs Students | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 2/11 | SB 2563 | Requires Universities to Develop a Plan of Action for Unplanned Pregnancies | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 4/10 | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| 1/18 | SB 2179 | Restrictions on Employers of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| 3/27 | SB 2293 | Allowing "Under-Performing" Schools to Become Charter Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 2/04 | SB 2548 | Identification Requirements to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 5/22 | SB 2004 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 4/16 | SB 2199 | Gaming Restrictions | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 26) |
| 3/19 | HB 1089 | Legalizing Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| 3/19 | HB 1089 | Legalizing Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| 2/27 | SB 2206 | Radar Speed Detection | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 2/26 | SB 2550 | Covenant Marriage Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13) |
| 2/26 | SB 2550 | Covenant Marriage Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13) |
| 2/21 | SB 2468 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| 2/04 | SB 2199 | Gaming Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 2/01 | SB 2037 | Requirements for Public Works Laborers | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| 3/08 | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 2) |
| 2/07 | SB 2617 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 2/07 | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| 3/08 | HB 1089 | Wildlife Feeding Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| 3/08 | HB 1089 | Wildlife Feeding Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| 2/07 | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 2/07 | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 1/27 | HB 409 | Seat Belt Law | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| 1/27 | HB 409 | Seat Belt Law | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |