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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2016 | TN | HB 615 | Establishes the Bible as the Official State Book | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 8) |
| Feb. 22, 2016 | TN | SJR 467 | Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
| March 27, 2014 | TN | HB 937 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | TN | SB 1496 | Authorizes Certain Individuals to Carry a Handgun in Public Parks | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | TN | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | TN | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | TN | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| April 23, 2012 | TN | SJR 710 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| Jan. 19, 2012 | TN | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Jan. 19, 2012 | TN | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| May 18, 2011 | TN | SJR 221 | Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit State Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (26 - 4) |
| May 12, 2011 | TN | HB 600 | Equal Access to Interstate Commerce Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| March 9, 2011 | TN | SJR 18 | Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting an Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 5) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | TN | SB 79 | Tennessee Health Care Freedom Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| May 10, 2010 | TN | HB 270 | Citizenship Status for Voting and Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | TN | SB 3498 | Requiring Legal Challenge to Federal Health Insurance Mandates | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 1) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | TN | HB 614 | Delaying Paper Ballot Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| June 18, 2009 | TN | HB 614 | Delaying Paper Ballot Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| June 16, 2009 | TN | SB 162 | Creation of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| June 16, 2009 | TN | SB 162 | Creation of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/04 | HB 615 | Establishes the Bible as the Official State Book | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 8) |
| 2/22 | SJR 467 | Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
| 3/27 | HB 937 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 2/13 | SB 1496 | Authorizes Certain Individuals to Carry a Handgun in Public Parks | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/05 | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| 2/05 | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| 2/05 | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| 4/23 | SJR 710 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 1/19 | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 1/19 | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 1/13 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 1/13 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 1/13 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 1/13 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 5/20 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 5/18 | SJR 221 | Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit State Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 5/12 | HB 600 | Equal Access to Interstate Commerce Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 3/09 | SJR 18 | Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting an Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 5) |
| 2/23 | SB 79 | Tennessee Health Care Freedom Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 5/10 | HB 270 | Citizenship Status for Voting and Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 2/17 | SB 3498 | Requiring Legal Challenge to Federal Health Insurance Mandates | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 1) |
| 1/12 | HB 614 | Delaying Paper Ballot Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 6/18 | HB 614 | Delaying Paper Ballot Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 6/16 | SB 162 | Creation of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 6/16 | SB 162 | Creation of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |