Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
April 21, 2015 MT SB 284 Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
Sept. 4, 2015 CA AB 96 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21)
April 21, 2015 MT SB 245 Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
April 15, 2015 MT SB 284 Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
April 15, 2015 MT SB 245 Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
April 14, 2015 WA SB 5501 Amends Animal Cruelty Regulations Bill Passed - House (59 - 38)
Sept. 2, 2015 CA AB 96 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
March 9, 2015 MT HB 212 Amends Definitions of Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
March 23, 2015 AZ HB 2150 Amends Animal Cruelty Laws Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
May 15, 2015 National H Amdt 230 Prohibits Listing Lesser Prairie Chicken as Endangered Amendment Adopted - House (229 - 190)
Feb. 5, 2015 MT HB 250 Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Firearms to Hunt Non-Protected Animals Bill Passed - House (66 - 32)
April 28, 2015 OR SB 913 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
June 1, 2015 National HR 1335 Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act Bill Passed - House (225 - 152)
Feb. 3, 2015 MT HB 212 Amends Definitions of Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Bill Passed - House (64 - 35)
Feb. 13, 2015 NM SB 253 Prohibits Coyote Hunting Contests Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
April 14, 2015 IN HB 1453 Authorizes Deer Hunting Preserves Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
Feb. 24, 2015 IN SJR 12 Authorizes the Use of Diverse Farming and Ranching Practices Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 28)
March 31, 2015 AL HB 85 Requires Animal Shelters to Compile Monthly Reports Bill Failed - House (28 - 67)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/21 SB 284 Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
9/04 AB 96 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21)
4/21 SB 245 Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
4/15 SB 284 Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
4/15 SB 245 Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
4/14 SB 5501 Amends Animal Cruelty Regulations Bill Passed - House (59 - 38)
9/02 AB 96 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
3/09 HB 212 Amends Definitions of Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
3/23 HB 2150 Amends Animal Cruelty Laws Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
5/15 H Amdt 230 Prohibits Listing Lesser Prairie Chicken as Endangered Amendment Adopted - House (229 - 190)
2/05 HB 250 Authorizes Noise Suppressors on Firearms to Hunt Non-Protected Animals Bill Passed - House (66 - 32)
4/28 SB 913 Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
6/01 HR 1335 Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act Bill Passed - House (225 - 152)
2/03 HB 212 Amends Definitions of Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Bill Passed - House (64 - 35)
2/13 SB 253 Prohibits Coyote Hunting Contests Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
4/14 HB 1453 Authorizes Deer Hunting Preserves Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
2/24 SJR 12 Authorizes the Use of Diverse Farming and Ranching Practices Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 28)
3/31 HB 85 Requires Animal Shelters to Compile Monthly Reports Bill Failed - House (28 - 67)

arrow_upward