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
March 14, 2016 GA HB 555 Establishes Regulations Regarding Records of Juvenile Petitions for Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
Feb. 5, 2016 KS SB 133 Establishes Immunity for Underage Drinkers Who Seek Medical Help Bill Passed - House (92 - 27)
Aug. 18, 2016 CA SB 1322 Exempts Minors from Prostitution Charges Bill Passed - House (42 - 29)
Feb. 22, 2016 IN SB 91 Authorizes Adopted Individuals to Access Birth Certificates Bill Passed - House (72 - 24)
March 8, 2016 FL SB 668 Amends Divorce and Child Custody Procedures Bill Passed - House (74 - 38)
Feb. 17, 2016 NM HB 138 Authorizes Certain Minors to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
March 7, 2016 TN SB 1674 Amends Child Safety Seat Requirements Bill Passed - House (68 - 19)
Feb. 23, 2016 IA HF 2281 Authorizes Individuals Under the age of 14 to Posses a Handgun Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
Feb. 23, 2016 FL SB 250 Requires Legal Presumption of Equal Time-Sharing for Parental Custody Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
March 3, 2016 MD HB 274 Repeals Witness Requirement for Uncontested Divorces Bill Passed - House (94 - 45)
Jan. 29, 2016 ID H 425 Expands Tax Law to Include Marriages Authorized by the Supreme Court Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
March 7, 2016 UT SB 179 Authorizes State to Enforce Payment of Child Support Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
March 8, 2016 HI SB 2615 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 2)
March 10, 2016 KS HB 2369 Prohibits Minors From Using Tanning Devices Bill Passed - House (77 - 44)
March 15, 2016 AL SB 143 Amends Marriage License Practices Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 3)
March 17, 2016 MO HB 1370 Requires All Guardians of a Minor to be Notified Prior to Abortion Bill Passed - House (121 - 34)
March 17, 2016 CO HB 1210 Prohibits Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - House (35 - 29)
March 23, 2016 NH HB 1661 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Bill Passed - House (299 - 99)
May 4, 2016 LA SB 127 Authorizes Parole Hearings for Juveniles Serving Life Terms Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
March 3, 2016 TN HJR 529 Expresses Disagreement with the Decision in Obergefell v. Hodges Joint Resolution Passed - House (73 - 18)
Feb. 8, 2016 KY HB 196 Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds Bill Passed - House (55 - 37)
Feb. 12, 2016 VA HB 1348 Prohibits Smoking in a Car with Minors Bill Passed - House (59 - 38)
Feb. 12, 2016 VA SB 41 Prohibits State from Requiring Religious Organizations to Solemnize Certain Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19)
Feb. 12, 2016 UT HB 136 Classifies Certain Cases of Human Trafficking as Capital Offense Bill Passed - House (44 - 28)
Feb. 17, 2016 GA HB 555 Establishes Regulations Regarding Records of Juvenile Petitions for Abortion Bill Passed - House (119 - 51)
Feb. 18, 2016 KY SB 5 Establishes Separate Marriage License for Same-Sex Couples Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
May 26, 2016 LA HB 67 Prohibits Minors from Possessing Alcohol on Private Property Bill Failed - House (48 - 37)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/14 HB 555 Establishes Regulations Regarding Records of Juvenile Petitions for Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
2/05 SB 133 Establishes Immunity for Underage Drinkers Who Seek Medical Help Bill Passed - House (92 - 27)
8/18 SB 1322 Exempts Minors from Prostitution Charges Bill Passed - House (42 - 29)
2/22 SB 91 Authorizes Adopted Individuals to Access Birth Certificates Bill Passed - House (72 - 24)
3/08 SB 668 Amends Divorce and Child Custody Procedures Bill Passed - House (74 - 38)
2/17 HB 138 Authorizes Certain Minors to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
3/07 SB 1674 Amends Child Safety Seat Requirements Bill Passed - House (68 - 19)
2/23 HF 2281 Authorizes Individuals Under the age of 14 to Posses a Handgun Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
2/23 SB 250 Requires Legal Presumption of Equal Time-Sharing for Parental Custody Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
3/03 HB 274 Repeals Witness Requirement for Uncontested Divorces Bill Passed - House (94 - 45)
1/29 H 425 Expands Tax Law to Include Marriages Authorized by the Supreme Court Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
3/07 SB 179 Authorizes State to Enforce Payment of Child Support Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9)
3/08 SB 2615 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 2)
3/10 HB 2369 Prohibits Minors From Using Tanning Devices Bill Passed - House (77 - 44)
3/15 SB 143 Amends Marriage License Practices Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 3)
3/17 HB 1370 Requires All Guardians of a Minor to be Notified Prior to Abortion Bill Passed - House (121 - 34)
3/17 HB 1210 Prohibits Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - House (35 - 29)
3/23 HB 1661 Prohibits Conversion Therapy on Minors Bill Passed - House (299 - 99)
5/04 SB 127 Authorizes Parole Hearings for Juveniles Serving Life Terms Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
3/03 HJR 529 Expresses Disagreement with the Decision in Obergefell v. Hodges Joint Resolution Passed - House (73 - 18)
2/08 HB 196 Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds Bill Passed - House (55 - 37)
2/12 HB 1348 Prohibits Smoking in a Car with Minors Bill Passed - House (59 - 38)
2/12 SB 41 Prohibits State from Requiring Religious Organizations to Solemnize Certain Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19)
2/12 HB 136 Classifies Certain Cases of Human Trafficking as Capital Offense Bill Passed - House (44 - 28)
2/17 HB 555 Establishes Regulations Regarding Records of Juvenile Petitions for Abortion Bill Passed - House (119 - 51)
2/18 SB 5 Establishes Separate Marriage License for Same-Sex Couples Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
5/26 HB 67 Prohibits Minors from Possessing Alcohol on Private Property Bill Failed - House (48 - 37)

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