Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Aug. 19, 2008 CA SB 1171 Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
June 27, 2008 AZ HB 2389 Involving Gun Owners' Rights Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 5)
May 29, 2008 OH SB 184 Lethal Force Against Intruders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
May 21, 2008 LA SB 51 Guns in Parked Locked Cars Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
May 19, 2008 AZ HB 2389 Involving Gun Owners' Rights Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
May 12, 2008 AZ HB 2629 Legalizing the Defensive Display of a Firearm Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7)
April 23, 2008 AZ HB 2630 Illegally Concealed Weapon Penalty Reduction Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10)
April 9, 2008 FL HB 503 Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
April 3, 2008 AZ SB 1132 Allowing Pistols in Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
April 2, 2008 GA HB 257 Limiting Concealed Weapon Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
March 19, 2008 MS HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
March 12, 2008 MD SB 42 Temporary Confiscation of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
March 5, 2008 WY HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1)
Feb. 28, 2008 WI AB 581 Gun Possession During Emergencies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
Feb. 25, 2008 National S Amdt 4070 Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11)
Feb. 12, 2008 VA SB 476 Prohibiting Drinking with a Concealed Weapon Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
Feb. 11, 2008 VA SB 436 Concealed Weapons in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
Jan. 17, 2008 GA HB 89 Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15)
Jan. 16, 2008 TN SB 23 Allowing Guns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/19 SB 1171 Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
6/27 HB 2389 Involving Gun Owners' Rights Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 5)
5/29 SB 184 Lethal Force Against Intruders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
5/21 SB 51 Guns in Parked Locked Cars Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
5/19 HB 2389 Involving Gun Owners' Rights Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
5/12 HB 2629 Legalizing the Defensive Display of a Firearm Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7)
4/23 HB 2630 Illegally Concealed Weapon Penalty Reduction Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10)
4/09 HB 503 Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
4/03 SB 1132 Allowing Pistols in Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
4/02 HB 257 Limiting Concealed Weapon Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
3/19 HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
3/12 SB 42 Temporary Confiscation of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
3/05 HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1)
2/28 AB 581 Gun Possession During Emergencies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
2/25 S Amdt 4070 Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11)
2/12 SB 476 Prohibiting Drinking with a Concealed Weapon Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
2/11 SB 436 Concealed Weapons in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
1/17 HB 89 Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15)
1/16 SB 23 Allowing Guns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)

arrow_upward