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
Sept. 1, 2015 CA SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - House (54 - 24)
July 9, 2015 IL HB 3593 Limits Community College Severance Packages Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 34)
July 8, 2015 WI SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
July 7, 2015 WI SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
July 3, 2015 OR SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
July 2, 2015 OR SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - House (34 - 25)
June 25, 2015 OR SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
June 23, 2015 IL HB 3593 Limits Community College Severance Packages Concurrence Vote Failed - House (51 - 44)
June 23, 2015 PA HB 805 Requires Schools to Use Teacher Performance Evaluations Bill Passed - House (100 - 91)
June 2, 2015 LA SB 48 Amends the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students Bill Passed - House (65 - 33)
June 1, 2015 CA SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 29, 2015 CT HB 6844 Amends Eligibility Requirements for In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
May 27, 2015 TX SB 11 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (102 - 44)
May 19, 2015 CT HB 6844 Amends Eligibility Requirements for In-State Tuition Bill Passed - House (78 - 70)
April 29, 2015 MI HB 4115 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - House (60 - 50)
April 29, 2015 LA SB 48 Amends the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
April 22, 2015 TN SB 612 Exempts Certain Students from Out-of-State Tuition Bill Failed - House (49 - 47)
April 16, 2015 TN SB 612 Authorizes Certain Students to be Charged In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
April 6, 2015 NV AB 148 Authorizes Concealed Carry on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (24 - 15)
April 3, 2015 NV AB 111 Increases College Credits Required for Millennium Scholarship Bill Passed - House (31 - 10)
March 19, 2015 AL SB 191 Establishes the Board of Trustees of the Alabama Community College System Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 5)
March 19, 2015 MO HB 104 Prohibits Universities From Denying Benefits to a Religious Student Association Bill Passed - House (117 - 38)
March 19, 2015 KS SB 175 Prohibits Universities from Denying Benefits to Religious Student Organizations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
March 19, 2015 TX SB 11 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
March 13, 2015 KS SB 7 Appropriates Funds to the Department of Education Bill Passed - House (64 - 57)
March 13, 2015 AR HB 1722 Prohibits The Use of Electronic Cigarettes on Publicly Funded Colleges and Universities Bill Passed - House (58 - 18)
March 11, 2015 MO HB 187 Prohibits Undocumented Immigrants from Receiving Student Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (111 - 41)
March 9, 2015 AR SB 5 Modifies Eligibility Requirements for the Academic Challenge Scholarship Program Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 23, 2015 AZ SB 1172 Prohibits Schools from Releasing Student Information for Political Purposes Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
Feb. 5, 2015 MT SB 143 Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
Feb. 5, 2015 KY SB 9 Exempts Certain Construction Projects from Prevailing Wage Laws Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
Feb. 2, 2015 WY HB 114 Authorizes Concealed Carry in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (42 - 17)
Jan. 20, 2015 VA SB 722 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Students with Certain Temporary Visas Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/01 SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - House (54 - 24)
7/09 HB 3593 Limits Community College Severance Packages Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 34)
7/08 SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
7/07 SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
7/03 SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
7/02 SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - House (34 - 25)
6/25 SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
6/23 HB 3593 Limits Community College Severance Packages Concurrence Vote Failed - House (51 - 44)
6/23 HB 805 Requires Schools to Use Teacher Performance Evaluations Bill Passed - House (100 - 91)
6/02 SB 48 Amends the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students Bill Passed - House (65 - 33)
6/01 SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/29 HB 6844 Amends Eligibility Requirements for In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
5/27 SB 11 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (102 - 44)
5/19 HB 6844 Amends Eligibility Requirements for In-State Tuition Bill Passed - House (78 - 70)
4/29 HB 4115 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - House (60 - 50)
4/29 SB 48 Amends the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
4/22 SB 612 Exempts Certain Students from Out-of-State Tuition Bill Failed - House (49 - 47)
4/16 SB 612 Authorizes Certain Students to be Charged In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
4/06 AB 148 Authorizes Concealed Carry on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (24 - 15)
4/03 AB 111 Increases College Credits Required for Millennium Scholarship Bill Passed - House (31 - 10)
3/19 SB 191 Establishes the Board of Trustees of the Alabama Community College System Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 5)
3/19 HB 104 Prohibits Universities From Denying Benefits to a Religious Student Association Bill Passed - House (117 - 38)
3/19 SB 175 Prohibits Universities from Denying Benefits to Religious Student Organizations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
3/19 SB 11 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
3/13 SB 7 Appropriates Funds to the Department of Education Bill Passed - House (64 - 57)
3/13 HB 1722 Prohibits The Use of Electronic Cigarettes on Publicly Funded Colleges and Universities Bill Passed - House (58 - 18)
3/11 HB 187 Prohibits Undocumented Immigrants from Receiving Student Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (111 - 41)
3/09 SB 5 Modifies Eligibility Requirements for the Academic Challenge Scholarship Program Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/23 SB 1172 Prohibits Schools from Releasing Student Information for Political Purposes Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
2/05 SB 143 Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
2/05 SB 9 Exempts Certain Construction Projects from Prevailing Wage Laws Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
2/02 HB 114 Authorizes Concealed Carry in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (42 - 17)
1/20 SB 722 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Students with Certain Temporary Visas Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)

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