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 12, 2015 | AZ | HB 2431 | Establishes an Interstate Compact to Regulate Firearm Transfers | Bill Passed - House (34 - 24) |
March 12, 2015 | AZ | HB 2320 | Authorizes Individuals to Carry Concealed Weapons in Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House |
March 11, 2015 | AZ | SB 1330 | Prohibits State Employees from Enforcing Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
Feb. 24, 2015 | AZ | HB 2509 | Amends Aggravated Assault Classifications | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
Sept. 1, 2015 | CA | SB 707 | Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds | Bill Passed - House (54 - 24) |
June 1, 2015 | CA | SB 707 | Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
May 1, 2015 | CO | SB 213 | Limits Immunity for Public Schools in Incidents of School Violence | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
March 25, 2015 | CO | SB 86 | Repeals Background Check Requirement for Firearm Transfers | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
Feb. 19, 2015 | CO | SB 32 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns Without a Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
April 9, 2015 | FL | SB 290 | Authorizes Concealed Carry During Emergency Evacuations | Bill Passed - House (86 - 26) |
March 24, 2015 | FL | SB 290 | Authorizes Concealed Carry During Emergency Evacuations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
May 31, 2015 | IL | HB 352 | Authorizes Bobcat Hunting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 46) |
May 31, 2015 | IL | HB 352 | Authorizes Bobcat Hunting | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (55 - 54) |
May 21, 2015 | IL | HB 352 | Authorizes Bobcat Hunting | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
Feb. 3, 2015 | IN | SB 433 | Authorizes Possession of Sawed-off Shotguns | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 6) |
March 25, 2015 | KS | SB 45 | Authorizes Concealed Firearms Without a License | Bill Passed - House (85 - 39) |
Feb. 26, 2015 | KS | SB 45 | Authorizes Concealed Firearms Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
June 30, 2015 | ME | LD 652 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
Feb. 26, 2015 | MI | SB 34 | Amends Concealed Carry Licensing Procedures | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
Feb. 25, 2015 | MI | SB 34 | Amends Concealed Carry Licensing Procedures | Bill Passed - House (76 - 34) |
April 29, 2015 | MI | HB 4151 | Repeals Age Limit for Possession of an Air Gun | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
Feb. 3, 2015 | MI | SB 34 | Amends Concealed Carry Licensing Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
April 23, 2015 | MN | SF 878 | Authorizes Gun Silencers and Expands Ex-Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22) |
Feb. 5, 2015 | MT | SB 143 | Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
March 12, 2015 | MT | HB 203 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Federal Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
March 12, 2015 | MT | HB 298 | Amends Concealed Weapons Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
Feb. 2, 2015 | MT | SB 154 | Amends Requirement to Wear Hunter Orange while Hunting | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
Feb. 5, 2015 | MT | HB 250 | Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Firearms to Hunt Non-Protected Animals | Bill Passed - House (66 - 32) |
Feb. 9, 2015 | MT | HB 203 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Federal Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |
Feb. 19, 2015 | MT | HB 298 | Amends Concealed Weapons Regulations | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
Dec. 3, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2915 | Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
Dec. 3, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2910 | Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
June 24, 2015 | NC | HB 640 | Authorizes Hunting on Sundays | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 15) |
May 28, 2015 | NC | HB 640 | Authorizes Hunting on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
April 9, 2015 | ND | HB 1241 | Expands Locations Where Individuals Can Carry Firearms | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 19) |
March 20, 2015 | ND | HB 1195 | Authorizes Concealed Firearms in Schools | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 28) |
Feb. 24, 2015 | ND | HB 1157 | Authorizes Public Officials to Possess Firearms in Public Buildings | Bill Failed - House (45 - 47) |
April 29, 2015 | NH | SB 116 | Repeals License Requirement for Concealed Handguns | Bill Passed - House (212 - 150) |
Feb. 12, 2015 | NH | SB 116 | Repeals License Requirement for Concealed Handguns | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
May 22, 2015 | NV | SB 175 | Amends Justifiable Homicide and Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (25 - 17) |
April 6, 2015 | NV | AB 148 | Authorizes Concealed Carry on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (24 - 15) |
April 15, 2015 | NV | AB 121 | Prohibits Disciplining Students for Simulating Firearms | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
Nov. 17, 2015 | OH | HB 48 | Amends Provisions Concerning Concealed Carry of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (68 - 29) |
April 14, 2015 | OR | SB 941 | Requires Background Checks For Firearm Transfers | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
Feb. 10, 2015 | SD | HB 1116 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (44 - 23) |
Feb. 5, 2015 | SD | HB 1096 | Requires Background Check for Concealed Carry Permit | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
April 16, 2015 | TN | HB 995 | Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 6) |
April 16, 2015 | TN | HB 995 | Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 25) |
April 6, 2015 | TN | HB 995 | Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 17) |
April 1, 2015 | TN | HB 995 | Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
April 13, 2015 | TN | SB 1110 | Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Gun Laws | Bill Passed - House (74 - 20) |
March 23, 2015 | TN | SB 1058 | Prohibits the Termination of Employees for Storing Firearms in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (78 - 14) |
April 13, 2015 | TN | SB 874 | Authorizes Exploding Targets for Sporting Use | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 3) |
March 23, 2015 | TN | SB 1058 | Prohibits the Termination of Employees for Storing Firearms in Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5) |
March 30, 2015 | TN | HB 995 | Authorizes Firearms in Public Parks | Bill Passed - House (65 - 21) |
May 22, 2015 | TX | HB 910 | Authorizes Open Carry of Handguns | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
May 27, 2015 | TX | SB 11 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (102 - 44) |
April 20, 2015 | TX | HB 910 | Authorizes Open Carry of Handguns | Bill Passed - House (101 - 42) |
March 19, 2015 | TX | SB 11 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
March 17, 2015 | TX | SB 17 | Authorizes Open Carry of Handguns | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
March 9, 2015 | UT | SB 256 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
June 9, 2015 | WI | SB 70 | Authorizes Certain Officers to Carry Firearms in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
March 12, 2015 | WV | SB 347 | Repeals the Requirement of a License for Concealed Guns | Bill Passed - House (71 - 29) |
Feb. 2, 2015 | WY | HB 114 | Authorizes Concealed Carry in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |