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 24, 2014 | NE | LB 671 | Prohibits the Hunting of Mountain Lions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13) |
Feb. 4, 2014 | NE | LB 399 | Authorizes Crime Prevention Vehicles to Use Amber Lights | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (32 - 12) |
Sept. 15, 2014 | NH | SB 391 | Increases Oversight of Juvenile Justice Programs | Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 9) |
April 17, 2014 | NH | HB 1170 | Repeals the Death Penalty | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 12) |
May 12, 2014 | NJ | A 2006 | Reduces the Maximum Capacity of Ammunition Magazines | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
May 12, 2014 | NJ | A 2777 | Amends Firearm Transportation Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
March 27, 2014 | NJ | S 783 | Amends the Definition of an Unlawful Employment Practice | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
April 30, 2014 | NY | A 9206 | Authorizes Traffic Cameras on Long Island | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 11) |
Dec. 11, 2014 | OH | SB 342 | Prohibits Use of Traffic Cameras to Issue Tickets Unless Officer is Present | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
Dec. 11, 2014 | OH | HB 663 | Requires Confidentiality of Death Penalty Information | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
Dec. 9, 2014 | OH | HB 234 | Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Certain Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
Nov. 19, 2014 | OH | SB 342 | Prohibits Use of Traffic Cameras to Issue Tickets unless an Officer is Present | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
March 6, 2014 | OR | HB 4143 | Amends Payout Procedures In Class Action Lawsuits | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
Oct. 16, 2014 | PA | HB 80 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
Oct. 15, 2014 | PA | HB 1750 | Prohibits Pigeon Shoots | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
Oct. 16, 2014 | PA | HB 80 | Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
March 5, 2014 | SD | HB 1229 | Requires Certain Individuals to be Reported to the National Background Check System | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
April 17, 2014 | TN | HB 1574 | Limits Amount of Pseudoephedrine an Individual Can Purchase | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 7) |
April 17, 2014 | TN | SB 2580 | Authorizes the Use of Certain Execution Methods | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 4) |
Feb. 5, 2014 | TN | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
April 7, 2014 | TN | SB 1391 | Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
Feb. 13, 2014 | TN | SB 1496 | Authorizes Certain Individuals to Carry a Handgun in Public Parks | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
April 7, 2014 | TN | SB 1391 | Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
March 4, 2014 | UT | HB 20 | Expands Protections for Police Officers in Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 13) |
March 4, 2014 | UT | HB 20 | Expands Protections for Police Officers in Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 13) |
March 10, 2014 | UT | SB 253 | Prohibits Texting While Driving on a Highway | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 8) |
Feb. 18, 2014 | VA | HB 1237 | Authorizes Hunting on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
March 12, 2014 | WI | AB 19 | Requires an Individual to Disclose the Number of Asbestos Trusts they Plan to Sue | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
Feb. 11, 2014 | WI | AB 161 | Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
April 1, 2014 | WI | AB 120 | Prohibits Certain Actions Made by Health Care Providers from Being Used Against Them in Court | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
April 1, 2014 | WI | AB 556 | Expands Jailhouse Strip Search Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
March 8, 2014 | WV | HB 4588 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
Feb. 18, 2014 | WV | SB 6 | Prohibits Sale of Medicines Containing Pseudoephedrine without Prescription | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
Feb. 18, 2014 | WV | SB 6 | Prohibits Sale of Medicines Containing Pseudoephedrine without Prescription | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |