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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2014 | RI | S 2796A | Establishes Preference In State and Business Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 14, 2014 | RI | S 2059 | Prohibits State Assessments for Graduation Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| May 1, 2014 | RI | H 7944A | Authorizes State Fiscal Oversight of Certain Fire Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| May 22, 2013 | RI | S 256 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| April 24, 2013 | RI | H 5015 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| June 13, 2012 | RI | H 7909 | Requires State Health Laws to Comply with the Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| June 13, 2012 | RI | H 7782 | Regulates Auto Insurance Company Claims and Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| June 12, 2012 | RI | S 2052 | Homeless Bill of Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2) |
| June 11, 2012 | RI | H 7323 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| June 7, 2012 | RI | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| June 5, 2012 | RI | S 2253 | Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| May 9, 2012 | RI | S 2555 A | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
| March 13, 2012 | RI | S 2322 | Prohibits The Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | RI | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
| Nov. 17, 2011 | RI | H 6319 | Amending the Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| June 29, 2011 | RI | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| May 12, 2011 | RI | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| April 5, 2011 | RI | S 87 | Establishing the Rhode Island Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| June 10, 2010 | RI | H 8094 | Education Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Oct. 29, 2009 | RI | HB 5044 | Prostitution Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
| June 30, 2009 | RI | S 286 | Relating to Video Lottery Terminals | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| June 30, 2009 | RI | H 5005 | Voter Pre-Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| June 26, 2009 | RI | H 5983 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| June 16, 2009 | RI | H 5359 | Medical Marijuana | Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
| May 27, 2009 | RI | S 659 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/05 | S 2796A | Establishes Preference In State and Business Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/14 | S 2059 | Prohibits State Assessments for Graduation Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| 5/01 | H 7944A | Authorizes State Fiscal Oversight of Certain Fire Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| 5/22 | S 256 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 4/24 | H 5015 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 6/13 | H 7909 | Requires State Health Laws to Comply with the Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 6/13 | H 7782 | Regulates Auto Insurance Company Claims and Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 6/12 | S 2052 | Homeless Bill of Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2) |
| 6/11 | H 7323 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 6/07 | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 6/05 | S 2253 | Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 5/09 | S 2555 A | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
| 3/13 | S 2322 | Prohibits The Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/01 | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
| 11/17 | H 6319 | Amending the Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| 6/29 | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 5/12 | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 4/05 | S 87 | Establishing the Rhode Island Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 6/10 | H 8094 | Education Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 10/29 | HB 5044 | Prostitution Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
| 6/30 | S 286 | Relating to Video Lottery Terminals | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 6/30 | H 5005 | Voter Pre-Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 6/26 | H 5983 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| 6/16 | H 5359 | Medical Marijuana | Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
| 5/27 | S 659 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |