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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 3, 2016 | SC | H 4701 | Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Restrictions on Firearms | Bill Passed - House (64 - 30) |
| Jan. 28, 2016 | SC | H 3521 | Prohibits Courts From Enforcing Foreign Law | Bill Passed - House (68 - 42) |
| Jan. 23, 2014 | SC | SB 308 | Authorizes Carrying Concealed Weapons into Businesses that Serve Alcohol | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (90 - 18) |
| Jan. 15, 2014 | SC | H 3147 | Expands Workers' Compensation for Certain Injuries to Law Enforcement Officers | Bill Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| March 28, 2012 | SC | SB 1227 | Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds | Bill Passed - House (85 - 22) |
| May 11, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
| April 26, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 17) |
| Jan. 26, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - House (74 - 45) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | SC | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | SC | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| March 3, 2009 | SC | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| May 29, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| June 6, 2007 | SC | H 3964 | Concealed Firearms in Schools | Motion Agreed - House (47 - 41) |
| May 31, 2006 | SC | S 1267 | Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27) |
| May 25, 2006 | SC | Amdt 3 to S 1084 | Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31) |
| May 25, 2006 | SC | S 229 | Cockfighting And Hog Dog Fighting | Bill Passed - House (78 - 15) |
| May 25, 2006 | SC | S 1084 | Penalties For Harming An Unborn Child/Fetus | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| March 28, 2006 | SC | Amdt 2B | Sex Offenders Penalties Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (34 - 4) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/03 | H 4701 | Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Restrictions on Firearms | Bill Passed - House (64 - 30) |
| 1/28 | H 3521 | Prohibits Courts From Enforcing Foreign Law | Bill Passed - House (68 - 42) |
| 1/23 | SB 308 | Authorizes Carrying Concealed Weapons into Businesses that Serve Alcohol | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (90 - 18) |
| 1/15 | H 3147 | Expands Workers' Compensation for Certain Injuries to Law Enforcement Officers | Bill Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| 3/28 | SB 1227 | Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds | Bill Passed - House (85 - 22) |
| 5/11 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
| 4/26 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36) |
| 2/10 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 17) |
| 1/26 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - House (74 - 45) |
| 2/24 | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| 2/24 | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| 3/03 | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| 10/21 | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| 10/21 | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| 5/29 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| 5/07 | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| 1/31 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| 6/06 | H 3964 | Concealed Firearms in Schools | Motion Agreed - House (47 - 41) |
| 5/31 | S 1267 | Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27) |
| 5/25 | Amdt 3 to S 1084 | Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31) |
| 5/25 | S 229 | Cockfighting And Hog Dog Fighting | Bill Passed - House (78 - 15) |
| 5/25 | S 1084 | Penalties For Harming An Unborn Child/Fetus | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| 3/28 | Amdt 2B | Sex Offenders Penalties Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (34 - 4) |