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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 12, 2015 | MO | HB 116 | Prohibits Mandatory Enrollment In Labor Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
Feb. 4, 2015 | MO | HB 150 | Limits Duration of Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (112 - 47) |
Feb. 12, 2015 | MO | HB 116 | Prohibits Mandatory Payment of Fees to Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - House (91 - 64) |
March 11, 2015 | MO | HB 187 | Prohibits Undocumented Immigrants from Receiving Student Financial Aid | Bill Passed - House (111 - 41) |
Feb. 23, 2015 | MO | SB 24 | Reduces the Lifetime Limit for Certain Government Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
Feb. 11, 2015 | MS | SB 2695 | Establishes Education Scholarship Accounts for Special Needs Students | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
Feb. 26, 2015 | MT | SB 262 | Establishes Water Rights Compact | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
Feb. 20, 2015 | MT | HB 200 | Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
Oct. 7, 2015 | National | HR 1735 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 27) |
Oct. 1, 2015 | National | HR 1735 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 | Conference Report Adopted - House (270 - 156) |
April 23, 2015 | National | PN 4 | Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
Oct. 20, 2015 | National | S 2146 | Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
Nov. 17, 2015 | National | HR 511 | Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (249 - 177) |
May 15, 2015 | National | HR 1735 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 151) |
Jan. 14, 2015 | National | HR 240 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (236 - 191) |
July 23, 2015 | National | HR 3009 | Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act | Bill Passed - House (241 - 179) |
July 28, 2015 | National | HR 427 | Regulations for the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 165) |
July 28, 2015 | National | HR 427 | Regulations for the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 165) |
July 29, 2015 | National | HR 1994 | VA Accountability Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
Sept. 10, 2015 | National | H Res 411 | Finding that the President Has Not Complied with Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 186) |
Oct. 8, 2015 | National | HR 538 | Native American Energy Act | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
Nov. 17, 2015 | National | HR 511 | Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (249 - 177) |
June 11, 2015 | NC | SB 2 | Authorizes Officials to Not Perform Certain Marriage Duties | Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 41) |
June 1, 2015 | NC | SB 2 | Authorizes Officials to Not Perform Certain Marriage Duties | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
Sept. 29, 2015 | NC | HB 318 | Prohibits Local Governments from Recognizing Identity Documents issued by Foreign Governments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 43) |
Sept. 28, 2015 | NC | HB 318 | Prohibits Local Governments from Recognizing Identity Documents issued by Foreign Governments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
May 28, 2015 | NC | SB 2 | Authorizes Officials to Not Perform Certain Marriage Duties | Bill Passed - House (67 - 43) |
Feb. 25, 2015 | NC | SB 2 | Authorizes Officials to Not Perform Certain Marriage Duties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
April 27, 2015 | ND | HB 1033 | Prohibits Legacy Fund Calculation in State Budget Drafts | Veto Override Passed - House (67 - 23) |
April 2, 2015 | ND | SB 2279 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Failed - House (35 - 56) |
April 10, 2015 | ND | SB 2242 | Appropriates Funds for Burial of Veterans' Families | Bill Failed - House (32 - 58) |
April 6, 2015 | ND | HB 1181 | Requires Special Election to Fill Vacant Senate Seat | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
April 6, 2015 | ND | HB 1181 | Requires Special Election to Fill Vacant Senate Seat | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
Feb. 17, 2015 | ND | SB 2279 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
March 12, 2015 | NH | SB 261 | Increases Minimum Wage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
March 11, 2015 | NH | HB 658 | Prohibits Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions | Bill Passed - House (149 - 146) |
Feb. 5, 2015 | NJ | S 866 | Authorizes Gestational Surrogacy Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
March 26, 2015 | NJ | A 4103 | Establishes Workforce Training Program for Former Casino Workers | Bill Passed - House (55 - 18) |
Feb. 25, 2015 | NM | HB 75 | Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions | Bill Passed - House (37 - 30) |
Feb. 12, 2015 | NM | HB 32 | Limits Driver's Licenses for Foreign Nationals | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
May 22, 2015 | NV | SB 193 | Increases Minimum Wage and Amends Overtime Definition | Bill Passed - House (22 - 20) |
April 7, 2015 | NV | AB 165 | Establishes the Nevada Educational Choice Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
May 16, 2015 | NV | AB 193 | Authorizes a Court of Law to Admit Hearsay as Evidence | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
March 5, 2015 | NV | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - House (23 - 19) |
Feb. 16, 2015 | NV | SB 119 | Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
April 3, 2015 | NV | SB 193 | Increases Minimum Wage and Amends Overtime Definition | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
April 1, 2015 | NV | AB 165 | Establishes the Nevada Educational Choice Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - House (25 - 17) |
April 21, 2015 | NV | AB 375 | Prohibits Students from Using Facilities Designated for the Opposite Sex | Bill Failed - House (20 - 22) |
April 29, 2015 | NY | A 4958 | Classifies Conversion Therapy on Minors as Professional Misconduct | Bill Passed - House (111 - 26) |
May 4, 2015 | NY | A 7257 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (97 - 43) |
March 26, 2015 | OK | HB 1749 | Prohibits Payroll Deductions for Public Employee Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 16) |
March 11, 2015 | OK | SJR 4 | Requests Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
July 3, 2015 | OR | SB 932 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
July 2, 2015 | OR | SB 932 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Bill Passed - House (34 - 25) |
May 7, 2015 | OR | HB 2307 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
June 25, 2015 | OR | SB 932 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
March 17, 2015 | OR | HB 2307 | Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors | Bill Passed - House (41 - 18) |
May 6, 2015 | PA | SB 644 | Requires Cost Analysis of Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
May 6, 2015 | PA | SB 645 | Requires Notice of Proposed Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
April 21, 2015 | PA | HB 874 | Repeals Exemptions for Harassment during Labor Disputes | Bill Passed - House (109 - 84) |
June 11, 2015 | RI | H 5074 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
June 25, 2015 | RI | H 5364 | Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
June 23, 2015 | RI | H 5364 | Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
June 2, 2015 | RI | H 5074 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (59 - 13) |
Feb. 18, 2015 | SD | SB 177 | Establishes a Youth Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
Feb. 10, 2015 | SD | HB 1195 | Requires a Student's Gender Identity to be Determined by a Birth Certificate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
April 22, 2015 | TN | SB 612 | Exempts Certain Students from Out-of-State Tuition | Bill Failed - House (49 - 47) |
April 16, 2015 | TN | SB 612 | Authorizes Certain Students to be Charged In-State Tuition | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
April 7, 2015 | TX | SB 267 | Prohibits Local Regulations that Prohibit Refusal of Tenants Based on Source of Income | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
May 12, 2015 | TX | SB 2065 | Authorizes Religious Organizations to Decline to Perform Marriage Services | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
May 7, 2015 | TX | SB 1968 | Prohibits Wage Deductions for State Employee Union Dues | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
March 11, 2015 | UT | SB 296 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - House (65 - 10) |
Feb. 25, 2015 | UT | SB 164 | Establishes Medicaid Expansion Pilot Program | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
March 6, 2015 | UT | SB 296 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
Feb. 27, 2015 | VA | HB 1570 | Increases Regulations on Day Care Providers | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 26) |