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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 17, 2014 OH HB 663 Requires Confidentiality of Death Penalty Information Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 23)
Dec. 10, 2014 OH HB 234 Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Certain Firearms Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 21)
Dec. 10, 2014 OH SB 342 Prohibits Use of Traffic Cameras to Issue Tickets Unless Officer is Present Bill Passed - House (58 - 31)
Dec. 4, 2014 MI HB 5958 Prohibits Government from Burdening an Individual's Exercise of Religion Bill Passed - House (59 - 50)
Dec. 4, 2014 MI HB 5958 Prohibits Government from Burdening an Individual's Exercise of Religion Bill Passed - House (59 - 50)
Dec. 3, 2014 MI HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 35)
Dec. 3, 2014 MI SB 275 Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (75 - 34)
Oct. 20, 2014 PA HB 80 Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (138 - 56)
Oct. 20, 2014 PA HB 80 Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (138 - 56)
Oct. 6, 2014 PA HB 1243 Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (143 - 54)
Oct. 6, 2014 PA HB 1243 Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (143 - 54)
Sept. 15, 2014 NJ A 2895 Establishes a Statewide Firearm Buyback Program Bill Passed - House (53 - 22)
Sept. 10, 2014 MO SB 656 Authorizes School Employees to Carry Firearms on School Property Veto Override Passed - House (117 - 39)
Sept. 9, 2014 National H Res 644 Condemning and Disapproving of the Failure of the Obama Administration to Comply with the Lawful Statutory Requirement to Notify Congress before Transferring Individuals Detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Expressing Concern About the National Security Risks Over the Transfer of Five Taliban Leaders and the Repercussions of Negotiating with Terrorists Resolution Passed - House (249 - 163)
Aug. 29, 2014 CA AB 1014 Authorizes Gun Violence Restraining Orders Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 28)
Aug. 29, 2014 CA AB 1014 Authorizes Gun Violence Restraining Orders Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 28)
Aug. 26, 2014 CA SB 199 Requires Certain Replica Guns to be Sold in Fluorescent Colors Bill Passed - House (43 - 34)
Aug. 26, 2014 CA SB 199 Requires Certain Replica Guns to be Sold in Fluorescent Colors Bill Passed - House (43 - 34)
Aug. 20, 2014 CA SB 968 Authorizes Public Access Route to Martins Beach Bill Passed - House (42 - 25)
Aug. 14, 2014 CA SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - House (50 - 19)
Aug. 14, 2014 CA SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - House (50 - 19)
July 31, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
July 31, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
July 31, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
July 30, 2014 National H Res 676 Providing for Authority to Initiate Litigation for Actions by the President or Other Executive Branch Officials Inconsistent with Their Duties Under the Constitution of the United States Resolution Passed - House (225 - 201)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/17 HB 663 Requires Confidentiality of Death Penalty Information Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 23)
12/10 HB 234 Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Certain Firearms Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 21)
12/10 SB 342 Prohibits Use of Traffic Cameras to Issue Tickets Unless Officer is Present Bill Passed - House (58 - 31)
12/04 HB 5958 Prohibits Government from Burdening an Individual's Exercise of Religion Bill Passed - House (59 - 50)
12/04 HB 5958 Prohibits Government from Burdening an Individual's Exercise of Religion Bill Passed - House (59 - 50)
12/03 HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 35)
12/03 SB 275 Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (75 - 34)
10/20 HB 80 Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (138 - 56)
10/20 HB 80 Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (138 - 56)
10/06 HB 1243 Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (143 - 54)
10/06 HB 1243 Authorizes Civil Action against Local Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (143 - 54)
9/15 A 2895 Establishes a Statewide Firearm Buyback Program Bill Passed - House (53 - 22)
9/10 SB 656 Authorizes School Employees to Carry Firearms on School Property Veto Override Passed - House (117 - 39)
9/09 H Res 644 Condemning and Disapproving of the Failure of the Obama Administration to Comply with the Lawful Statutory Requirement to Notify Congress before Transferring Individuals Detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Expressing Concern About the National Security Risks Over the Transfer of Five Taliban Leaders and the Repercussions of Negotiating with Terrorists Resolution Passed - House (249 - 163)
8/29 AB 1014 Authorizes Gun Violence Restraining Orders Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 28)
8/29 AB 1014 Authorizes Gun Violence Restraining Orders Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 28)
8/26 SB 199 Requires Certain Replica Guns to be Sold in Fluorescent Colors Bill Passed - House (43 - 34)
8/26 SB 199 Requires Certain Replica Guns to be Sold in Fluorescent Colors Bill Passed - House (43 - 34)
8/20 SB 968 Authorizes Public Access Route to Martins Beach Bill Passed - House (42 - 25)
8/14 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - House (50 - 19)
8/14 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - House (50 - 19)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
7/30 H Res 676 Providing for Authority to Initiate Litigation for Actions by the President or Other Executive Branch Officials Inconsistent with Their Duties Under the Constitution of the United States Resolution Passed - House (225 - 201)

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