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
May 26, 2016 CA SB 1146 Amends Religious Exemption Requirements for Universities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
May 19, 2016 IL HB 4167 Appropriates Funds for Monetary Award Program Grants Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15)
May 17, 2016 IL HB 4167 Appropriates Funds for Monetary Award Program Grants Bill Passed - House (68 - 45)
April 25, 2016 MN HF 2749 Appropriates Funds for Education Bill Passed - House (84 - 46)
April 21, 2016 TN HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
April 21, 2016 TN HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 21)
April 20, 2016 TN SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
April 20, 2016 CT SB 147 Authorizes Students Qualifying for In-State Tuition to Receive Financial Assistance Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
April 19, 2016 TN SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
April 19, 2016 IA SF 2323 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
April 18, 2016 TN HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Bill Passed - House (66 - 22)
April 7, 2016 MO HB 2003 Appropriates Funds to the Department of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
April 7, 2016 AK SB 174 Prohibits the University of Alaska from Regulating Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 5)
March 31, 2016 MD SB 1052 Establishes Consolidated University of Maryland Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
March 30, 2016 MD SB 1052 Establishes Consolidated University of Maryland Bill Passed - House (92 - 44)
March 23, 2016 KS SB 469 Amends Labor Union Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
March 16, 2016 KS SB 175 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Associations Bill Passed - House (81 - 41)
March 12, 2016 MD HB 1002 Prohibits Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (81 - 54)
March 11, 2016 GA HB 859 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms at Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
March 10, 2016 MO HB 2003 Appropriates Funds to the Department of Higher Education Bill Passed - House (108 - 46)
March 8, 2016 SD SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - House (45 - 23)
March 2, 2016 IL SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Failed - House (69 - 48)
March 2, 2016 IL SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
Feb. 29, 2016 AZ HB 2338 Authorizes Concealed Carry near Schools Bill Passed - House (35 - 24)
Feb. 24, 2016 SD SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
Feb. 22, 2016 AZ SB 1402 Amends Tax Rate for Property Belonging to Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
Feb. 22, 2016 GA HB 859 Authorizes Concealed Carry at Postsecondary Education Institutions Bill Passed - House (113 - 59)
Jan. 28, 2016 IL SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Bill Passed - House (67 - 42)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/26 SB 1146 Amends Religious Exemption Requirements for Universities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
5/19 HB 4167 Appropriates Funds for Monetary Award Program Grants Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15)
5/17 HB 4167 Appropriates Funds for Monetary Award Program Grants Bill Passed - House (68 - 45)
4/25 HF 2749 Appropriates Funds for Education Bill Passed - House (84 - 46)
4/21 HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
4/21 HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 21)
4/20 SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
4/20 SB 147 Authorizes Students Qualifying for In-State Tuition to Receive Financial Assistance Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
4/19 SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
4/19 SF 2323 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
4/18 HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Bill Passed - House (66 - 22)
4/07 HB 2003 Appropriates Funds to the Department of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
4/07 SB 174 Prohibits the University of Alaska from Regulating Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 5)
3/31 SB 1052 Establishes Consolidated University of Maryland Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
3/30 SB 1052 Establishes Consolidated University of Maryland Bill Passed - House (92 - 44)
3/23 SB 469 Amends Labor Union Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
3/16 SB 175 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Associations Bill Passed - House (81 - 41)
3/12 HB 1002 Prohibits Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (81 - 54)
3/11 HB 859 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms at Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
3/10 HB 2003 Appropriates Funds to the Department of Higher Education Bill Passed - House (108 - 46)
3/08 SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - House (45 - 23)
3/02 SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Failed - House (69 - 48)
3/02 SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
2/29 HB 2338 Authorizes Concealed Carry near Schools Bill Passed - House (35 - 24)
2/24 SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
2/22 SB 1402 Amends Tax Rate for Property Belonging to Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
2/22 HB 859 Authorizes Concealed Carry at Postsecondary Education Institutions Bill Passed - House (113 - 59)
1/28 SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Bill Passed - House (67 - 42)

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