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. 14, 2016 MO SB 656 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
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 Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
June 30, 2016 CA AB 1674 Limits the Purchase of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
June 30, 2016 CA AB 2607 Authorizes Certain Individuals to Request a Gun Violence Restraining Order Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
June 27, 2016 NJ A 3689 Requires Justifiable Need for Firearm Permits Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
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)
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 4750 Fix Gun Checks Act of 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (44 - 56)
June 20, 2016 National S Amdt 4751 Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47)
May 19, 2016 CA AB 1135 Prohibits Firearms with Bullet Button Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
May 19, 2016 CA SB 1446 Prohibits the Possession of High-Capacity Gun Magazines Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
May 19, 2016 CA SB 1235 Requires Background Checks to Buy Ammunition Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
May 13, 2016 MO SB 656 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 8)
May 5, 2016 NH HR 582 Repeals Permit Requirements for Concealed Carry of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
April 19, 2016 TN SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
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)
March 16, 2016 ID S 1389 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without Permit Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
March 11, 2016 GA HB 859 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms at Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
March 3, 2016 AZ SB 1257 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms in Public Buildings Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
Feb. 29, 2016 VA HB 560 Amends Brandishing Conviction to Include Intent to Induce Fear Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Feb. 26, 2016 ID S 1276 Expands List of Crimes that Prohibit an Individual from Possessing Firearm Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 29)
Feb. 23, 2016 CO SB 17 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Firearm Without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Feb. 22, 2016 WV HB 4145 Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Feb. 4, 2016 VA SB 610 Authorizes Concealed Carry Reciprocity for Out-of-State License Holders Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
Feb. 1, 2016 VA SB 48 Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 21)
Jan. 28, 2016 FL SB 344 Amends Burden of Proof in Self-Defense Immunity Claims Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
Jan. 26, 2016 IN SB 259 Authorizes General Assembly Employees to Carry Handguns in the Statehouse Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/14 SB 656 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
6/30 SB 1235 Requires Background Checks to Buy Ammunition Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
6/30 AB 1695 Prohibits Falsely Reporting the Loss or Theft of a Firearm Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
6/30 AB 1674 Limits the Purchase of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
6/30 AB 2607 Authorizes Certain Individuals to Request a Gun Violence Restraining Order Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
6/27 A 3689 Requires Justifiable Need for Firearm Permits Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
6/20 S Amdt 4749 Authorizes the Attorney General to Delay Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47)
6/20 S Amdt 4720 Prohibits the Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53)
6/20 S Amdt 4750 Fix Gun Checks Act of 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (44 - 56)
6/20 S Amdt 4751 Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47)
5/19 AB 1135 Prohibits Firearms with Bullet Button Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
5/19 SB 1446 Prohibits the Possession of High-Capacity Gun Magazines Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
5/19 SB 1235 Requires Background Checks to Buy Ammunition Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
5/13 SB 656 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 8)
5/05 HR 582 Repeals Permit Requirements for Concealed Carry of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
4/19 SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
4/07 SB 174 Prohibits the University of Alaska from Regulating Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 5)
4/05 SB 14 Authorizes Concealed Handguns in Vehicles without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
3/16 S 1389 Authorizes Concealed Carry Without Permit Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
3/11 HB 859 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms at Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
3/03 SB 1257 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms in Public Buildings Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
2/29 HB 560 Amends Brandishing Conviction to Include Intent to Induce Fear Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
2/26 S 1276 Expands List of Crimes that Prohibit an Individual from Possessing Firearm Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 29)
2/23 SB 17 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Firearm Without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
2/22 HB 4145 Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
2/04 SB 610 Authorizes Concealed Carry Reciprocity for Out-of-State License Holders Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
2/01 SB 48 Authorizes Concealed Carry without Permit Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 21)
1/28 SB 344 Amends Burden of Proof in Self-Defense Immunity Claims Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
1/26 SB 259 Authorizes General Assembly Employees to Carry Handguns in the Statehouse Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)

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