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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 7, 2016 | AK | SB 174 | Prohibits the University of Alaska from Regulating Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 5) |
April 5, 2016 | AL | SB 14 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns in Vehicles without a Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
April 26, 2016 | AZ | SB 1257 | Authorizes Concelead Carry of Firearms in Public Places | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
Feb. 18, 2016 | AZ | HB 2446 | Amends the Definition of Prohibited Weapons | Bill Passed - House (38 - 20) |
Feb. 29, 2016 | AZ | HB 2338 | Authorizes Concealed Carry near Schools | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
March 1, 2016 | AZ | HB 2524 | Authorizes Compacts with Other States to Develop Firearm Transfer Laws | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
March 3, 2016 | AZ | SB 1257 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms in Public Buildings | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
June 30, 2016 | CA | AB 1674 | Limits the Purchase of Firearms | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 34) |
June 30, 2016 | CA | AB 1135 | Prohibits Firearms with Bullet Button | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30) |
June 30, 2016 | CA | SB 1235 | Requires Background Checks to Buy Ammunition | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
June 30, 2016 | CA | AB 1695 | Prohibits Falsely Reporting the Loss or Theft of a Firearm | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 25) |
May 19, 2016 | CA | AB 1135 | Prohibits Firearms with Bullet Button | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
June 30, 2016 | CA | AB 1674 | Limits the Purchase of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
June 30, 2016 | CA | AB 1695 | Prohibits Falsely Reporting the Loss or Theft of a Firearm | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
June 30, 2016 | CA | SB 1235 | Requires Background Checks to Buy Ammunition | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
June 30, 2016 | CA | SB 1446 | Prohibits the Possession of High-Capacity Gun Magazines | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
June 30, 2016 | CA | AB 2607 | Authorizes Certain Individuals to Request a Gun Violence Restraining Order | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
May 19, 2016 | CA | SB 1446 | Prohibits the Possession of High-Capacity Gun Magazines | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
June 1, 2016 | CA | AB 2607 | Authorizes Certain Individuals to Request a Gun Violence Restraining Order | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
May 19, 2016 | CA | SB 1235 | Requires Background Checks to Buy Ammunition | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
Feb. 23, 2016 | CO | SB 17 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Firearm Without a Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
April 21, 2016 | DE | HB 325 | Amends Requirements for Purchasing a Firearm | Bill Passed - House (22 - 17) |
Feb. 3, 2016 | FL | HB 4001 | Authorizes Open-Carry on State College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (80 - 37) |
Feb. 3, 2016 | FL | HB 163 | Authorizes Open Carry of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (80 - 38) |
Jan. 28, 2016 | FL | SB 344 | Amends Burden of Proof in Self-Defense Immunity Claims | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
March 11, 2016 | GA | HB 859 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms at Institutions of Higher Education | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17) |
Feb. 22, 2016 | GA | HB 859 | Authorizes Concealed Carry at Postsecondary Education Institutions | Bill Passed - House (113 - 59) |
April 7, 2016 | HI | SB 2954 | Requires Gun Owners to Register in Database | Bill Passed - House (26 - 21) |
Feb. 23, 2016 | IA | HF 2281 | Authorizes Individuals Under the age of 14 to Posses a Handgun | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
Feb. 26, 2016 | ID | S 1276 | Expands List of Crimes that Prohibit an Individual from Possessing Firearm | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 29) |
March 16, 2016 | ID | S 1389 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
Jan. 26, 2016 | IN | SB 259 | Authorizes General Assembly Employees to Carry Handguns in the Statehouse | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
March 12, 2016 | MD | HB 1002 | Prohibits Firearms on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (81 - 54) |
Sept. 14, 2016 | MO | SB 656 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit | Veto Override Passed - House (112 - 41) |
Sept. 14, 2016 | MO | SB 656 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
May 13, 2016 | MO | SB 656 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit | Conference Report Adopted - House (114 - 36) |
May 13, 2016 | MO | SB 656 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 8) |
Feb. 29, 2016 | MS | HB 782 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Law Relating to Firearms | Bill Passed - House (75 - 46) |
Feb. 17, 2016 | MS | HB 786 | Authorizes Designated Individuals to Carry Firearms in Church | Bill Passed - House (85 - 33) |
June 20, 2016 | National | S Amdt 4750 | Fix Gun Checks Act of 2016 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (44 - 56) |
June 20, 2016 | National | S Amdt 4720 | Prohibits the Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53) |
June 20, 2016 | National | S Amdt 4751 | Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2016 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
June 20, 2016 | National | S Amdt 4749 | Authorizes the Attorney General to Delay Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
Feb. 26, 2016 | National | HR 2406 | Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (242 - 161) |
May 5, 2016 | NH | HR 582 | Repeals Permit Requirements for Concealed Carry of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
May 11, 2016 | NH | SB 336 | Amends Requirements to Obtain Concealed Carry License | Bill Passed - House (217 - 132) |
June 27, 2016 | NJ | A 3689 | Requires Justifiable Need for Firearm Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
June 16, 2016 | NJ | A 3689 | Requires Justifiable Need for Firearm Permits | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
March 10, 2016 | OK | HB 3098 | Amends License and Training Requirements for Gun Possession | Bill Passed - House (73 - 15) |
Feb. 22, 2016 | OR | HB 4147 | Extends the Background Check Waiting Period for Gun Sales | Bill Passed - House (31 - 28) |
March 3, 2016 | SC | H 4701 | Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Restrictions on Firearms | Bill Passed - House (64 - 30) |
Feb. 23, 2016 | SD | HB 1206 | Authorizes the Use of Handguns to Hunt Game Birds | Bill Failed - House (23 - 44) |
April 20, 2016 | TN | SB 2376 | Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus | Bill Passed - House (69 - 24) |
April 19, 2016 | TN | SB 2376 | Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5) |
Feb. 19, 2016 | VA | SB 610 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Reciprocity for Out-of-State License Holders | Bill Passed - House (69 - 29) |
Feb. 11, 2016 | VA | HB 1096 | Prohibits Regulation of Firearms without Legislative Authorization | Bill Passed - House (63 - 35) |
Feb. 29, 2016 | VA | HB 560 | Amends Brandishing Conviction to Include Intent to Induce Fear | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
Feb. 1, 2016 | VA | SB 48 | Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 21) |
Feb. 15, 2016 | VA | HB 1234 | Authorizes School Security Officers to Carry Firearms | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
Feb. 9, 2016 | VA | HB 560 | Amends Brandishing Conviction to Include Intent to Induce Fear | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
Feb. 4, 2016 | VA | SB 610 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Reciprocity for Out-of-State License Holders | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
Feb. 3, 2016 | VA | HB 766 | Authorizes Individual with Restraining Order to Carry Concealed Gun without Permit | Bill Passed - House (68 - 29) |
March 4, 2016 | WV | HB 4145 | Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit | Veto Override Passed - House (64 - 33) |
Feb. 24, 2016 | WV | HB 4145 | Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 31) |
Feb. 22, 2016 | WV | HB 4145 | Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
Feb. 8, 2016 | WV | HB 4145 | Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit | Bill Passed - House (68 - 31) |