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 | AL | SB 237 | Establishes Innocence Inquiry Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6) |
Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 1241 | Amends Current Provisions of Labor Contracts | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 1241 | Amends Current Provisions of Labor Contracts | Bill Passed - House (54 - 21) |
Jan. 28, 2016 | FL | SB 344 | Amends Burden of Proof in Self-Defense Immunity Claims | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
April 5, 2016 | IL | SB 2465 | Prohibits Certain Lawsuits against Inmates | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
March 10, 2016 | IN | HB 1127 | Establishes Regulations on Lawsuit Funding Practices | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 32) |
March 10, 2016 | IN | HB 1127 | Establishes Regulations on Lawsuit Funding Practices | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
Jan. 19, 2016 | KS | HB 2151 | Establishes Regulations Regarding Grand Juries | Bill Passed - House (101 - 20) |
April 5, 2016 | LA | HB 580 | Limits Time Frame for Real Estate Appraisal Lawsuits | Bill Failed - House (45 - 47) |
April 14, 2016 | MO | SR 1794 | Requires Dr. James Miller to Appear Before the Senate | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
April 14, 2016 | MO | SR 1793 | Requires Mary Kogut to Appear Before the Senate | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
March 1, 2016 | MS | HB 738 | Amends Attorney General Hiring and Filing Oversight Processes | Bill Passed - House (61 - 60) |
Sept. 28, 2016 | National | S 2040 | Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act | Veto Override Passed - House (348 - 77) |
Sept. 28, 2016 | National | S 2040 | Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act | Veto Override Passed - Senate (97 - 1) |
Jan. 19, 2016 | National | PN 367 | Nomination of Wilhelmina Wright to Be U.S. District Judge | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 36) |
March 17, 2016 | National | H Res 639 | Authorizing the Speaker to Appear as Amicus Curiae on Behalf of the House of Representatives in the Matter of United States, et al. v. Texas, et al., No. 15-674 | Resolution Passed - House (234 - 186) |
Jan. 8, 2016 | National | HR 1927 | Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2016 | Bill Passed - House (211 - 188) |
March 10, 2016 | NH | HB 1270 | Requires Courts to Notify Jurors of Jury Nullification | Bill Passed - House (184 - 145) |
March 3, 2016 | OK | HB 3162 | Amends Nomination Procedure for Appellate Judges | Bill Passed - House (58 - 34) |
Jan. 28, 2016 | SC | H 3521 | Prohibits Courts From Enforcing Foreign Law | Bill Passed - House (68 - 42) |
April 19, 2016 | TN | SJR 467 | Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
April 18, 2016 | TN | SJR 467 | Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program | Bill Passed - House (69 - 25) |
March 24, 2016 | TN | HB 1679 | Requires a Claimant to Pay for Defendant Attorney Fees in Certain Legal Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
Feb. 22, 2016 | TN | SJR 467 | Urges Attorney General to File Lawsuit in Relation to Refugee Resettlement Program | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
Feb. 9, 2016 | VA | SB 705 | Requires Sanctuary Cities to be Liable for Damages Caused by Undocumented Immigrant | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |