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
Oct. 7, 2016 NJ A 12 Restructures Certain State Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Aug. 25, 2016 CA AB 1889 Appropriates Funds for High-Speed Rail Project Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Aug. 17, 2016 CA AB 1887 Prohibits State-Funded Travel to Certain States Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Aug. 17, 2016 CA AB 1785 Prohibits Use of Handheld Electronic Devices While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
June 17, 2016 RI S 2864 Establishes Regulations for Rideshare Companies Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
May 31, 2016 SC S 1258 Amends Structure and Funding of Department of Transportation Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 10)
May 31, 2016 SC S 1258 Amends Structure and Funding of Department of Transportation Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 10)
May 30, 2016 LA SB 227 Authorizes REAL ID Driver's Licenses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate
May 4, 2016 AZ SB 1268 Exempts Cities from Assured Water Supply Requirement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
April 8, 2016 MD HB 1013 Establishes Transportation Project Scoring System Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
April 8, 2016 MD HB 1013 Establishes Transportation Project Scoring System Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
April 7, 2016 National S Amdt 3483 Establishes Standards for Passenger Space on Airplanes Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 54)
April 6, 2016 MO SB 623 Increases Motor Fuel Tax Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
April 5, 2016 AL SB 287 Appropriates Funds for New Prison Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
April 4, 2016 TN HB 1416 Prohibits Driving in Left Lane without Passing Other Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
March 29, 2016 LA SB 227 Authorizes REAL ID Driver's Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
March 22, 2016 KY SB 245 Authorizes State to Issue Real ID Compliant Identification Documents Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
March 10, 2016 UT SB 115 Amends Regulations Regarding Public Electricity Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
March 9, 2016 SC H 3579 Appropriates Funds for Highways Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
March 9, 2016 SC H 3579 Appropriates Funds for Highways Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
March 3, 2016 WY SF 72 Increases the Speed Limit on State Highways Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
Feb. 29, 2016 GA SB 6 Establishes Driving Safety Cards for Certain Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
Feb. 15, 2016 AZ SB 1241 Prohibits Photo Enforcement System Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
Feb. 11, 2016 RI H 7409 Establishes Highway Truck Tolls Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Feb. 4, 2016 National S 2012 Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (43 - 54)
Feb. 2, 2016 VA SB 117 Prohibits Opening Car Door in Traffic Lane Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Jan. 20, 2016 MI SB 207 Authorizes Peace Officers to Conduct Roadside Saliva Drug Test Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/07 A 12 Restructures Certain State Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
8/25 AB 1889 Appropriates Funds for High-Speed Rail Project Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
8/17 AB 1887 Prohibits State-Funded Travel to Certain States Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
8/17 AB 1785 Prohibits Use of Handheld Electronic Devices While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
6/17 S 2864 Establishes Regulations for Rideshare Companies Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
5/31 S 1258 Amends Structure and Funding of Department of Transportation Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 10)
5/31 S 1258 Amends Structure and Funding of Department of Transportation Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 10)
5/30 SB 227 Authorizes REAL ID Driver's Licenses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate
5/04 SB 1268 Exempts Cities from Assured Water Supply Requirement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
4/08 HB 1013 Establishes Transportation Project Scoring System Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
4/08 HB 1013 Establishes Transportation Project Scoring System Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
4/07 S Amdt 3483 Establishes Standards for Passenger Space on Airplanes Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 54)
4/06 SB 623 Increases Motor Fuel Tax Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
4/05 SB 287 Appropriates Funds for New Prison Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
4/04 HB 1416 Prohibits Driving in Left Lane without Passing Other Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
3/29 SB 227 Authorizes REAL ID Driver's Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
3/22 SB 245 Authorizes State to Issue Real ID Compliant Identification Documents Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
3/10 SB 115 Amends Regulations Regarding Public Electricity Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
3/09 H 3579 Appropriates Funds for Highways Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
3/09 H 3579 Appropriates Funds for Highways Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
3/03 SF 72 Increases the Speed Limit on State Highways Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
2/29 SB 6 Establishes Driving Safety Cards for Certain Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
2/15 SB 1241 Prohibits Photo Enforcement System Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
2/11 H 7409 Establishes Highway Truck Tolls Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
2/04 S 2012 Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (43 - 54)
2/02 SB 117 Prohibits Opening Car Door in Traffic Lane Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
1/20 SB 207 Authorizes Peace Officers to Conduct Roadside Saliva Drug Test Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)

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