Key Votes

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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
May 18, 2015 ID H 1 Amends Foreign Child Support Order Bill Passed - House (49 - 21)
May 26, 2015 CA AB 884 Requires the Attorney General to Denote Ballot Initiatives That May Be Unconstitutional Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
June 1, 2015 CA AB 718 Authorizes Sleeping in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (56 - 15)
June 2, 2015 DE HB 39 Decriminalizes Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana Bill Passed - House (24 - 14)
June 3, 2015 National HR 2578 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Bill Passed - House (242 - 183)
June 16, 2015 National HR 2596 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Bill Passed - House (247 - 178)
Dec. 3, 2015 National HR 8 North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act Bill Passed - House (249 - 174)
Jan. 21, 2015 WY HB 18 Limits the Use of Drones by Law Enforcement Agencies Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
Jan. 27, 2015 WV HB 2002 Amends Liability Standards Bill Passed - House (74 - 25)
Feb. 2, 2015 WY HB 114 Authorizes Concealed Carry in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (42 - 17)
Feb. 5, 2015 SD HB 1096 Requires Background Check for Concealed Carry Permit Bill Passed - House (52 - 15)
Feb. 5, 2015 MT HB 250 Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Firearms to Hunt Non-Protected Animals Bill Passed - House (66 - 32)
Feb. 9, 2015 OR HB 2700 Requires Redistribution of Unclaimed Damages from Class Action Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (35 - 22)
Feb. 9, 2015 MT HB 203 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Federal Gun Restrictions Bill Passed - House (58 - 42)
Feb. 10, 2015 WV HB 2011 Amends Requirements for Workplace Injury Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (59 - 38)
Feb. 10, 2015 SD HB 1116 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Bill Passed - House (44 - 23)
Feb. 11, 2015 WY HB 144 Establishes a School Safety Tip Line Bill Passed - House (31 - 29)
Feb. 12, 2015 MS HB 1338 Authorizes Lawsuits for "Wrongful Death" of a Fetus Bill Passed - House (78 - 37)
Feb. 13, 2015 UT HB 11 Authorizes Execution by Firing Squad Bill Passed - House (39 - 34)
Feb. 17, 2015 NV AB 125 Amends Provisions Relating to Constructional Defects Bill Passed - House (25 - 17)
Feb. 19, 2015 CO HB 1072 Amends Definition of Harassment Bill Passed - House (43 - 22)
Feb. 19, 2015 MO HB 30 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 37)
Feb. 19, 2015 MO HJR 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 39)
Feb. 19, 2015 MT HB 298 Amends Concealed Weapons Regulations Bill Passed - House (56 - 43)
Feb. 20, 2015 MT HB 200 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/18 H 1 Amends Foreign Child Support Order Bill Passed - House (49 - 21)
5/26 AB 884 Requires the Attorney General to Denote Ballot Initiatives That May Be Unconstitutional Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
6/01 AB 718 Authorizes Sleeping in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (56 - 15)
6/02 HB 39 Decriminalizes Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana Bill Passed - House (24 - 14)
6/03 HR 2578 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Bill Passed - House (242 - 183)
6/16 HR 2596 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Bill Passed - House (247 - 178)
12/03 HR 8 North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act Bill Passed - House (249 - 174)
1/21 HB 18 Limits the Use of Drones by Law Enforcement Agencies Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
1/27 HB 2002 Amends Liability Standards Bill Passed - House (74 - 25)
2/02 HB 114 Authorizes Concealed Carry in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (42 - 17)
2/05 HB 1096 Requires Background Check for Concealed Carry Permit Bill Passed - House (52 - 15)
2/05 HB 250 Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Firearms to Hunt Non-Protected Animals Bill Passed - House (66 - 32)
2/09 HB 2700 Requires Redistribution of Unclaimed Damages from Class Action Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (35 - 22)
2/09 HB 203 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Federal Gun Restrictions Bill Passed - House (58 - 42)
2/10 HB 2011 Amends Requirements for Workplace Injury Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (59 - 38)
2/10 HB 1116 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Bill Passed - House (44 - 23)
2/11 HB 144 Establishes a School Safety Tip Line Bill Passed - House (31 - 29)
2/12 HB 1338 Authorizes Lawsuits for "Wrongful Death" of a Fetus Bill Passed - House (78 - 37)
2/13 HB 11 Authorizes Execution by Firing Squad Bill Passed - House (39 - 34)
2/17 AB 125 Amends Provisions Relating to Constructional Defects Bill Passed - House (25 - 17)
2/19 HB 1072 Amends Definition of Harassment Bill Passed - House (43 - 22)
2/19 HB 30 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 37)
2/19 HJR 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 39)
2/19 HB 298 Amends Concealed Weapons Regulations Bill Passed - House (56 - 43)
2/20 HB 200 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)

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