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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2026 | LA | HB 782 | Expands Regulations and Increases Fees for Nicotine Sales | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 0) |
| May 18, 2026 | LA | HB 568 | Increases Penalties for Smoking in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| June 9, 2025 | LA | SB 19 | Authorizes Over-the-Counter Sale of Ivermectin | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| May 6, 2025 | LA | SB 154 | Prohibits and Criminalizes Possession or Distribution of Kratom | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| April 30, 2025 | LA | SB 19 | Authorizes Over-the-Counter Sale of Ivermectin | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| May 23, 2024 | LA | SB 276 | Amends Classification of Abortion Drugs Misoprostol and Mifepristone as Controlled Substances | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| June 8, 2023 | LA | HB 90 | Increases Penalties for Drug Distribution Resulting in Death to Life in Prison | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 5) |
| June 5, 2023 | LA | HB 286 | Authorizes Expungements for Certain Amounts of Possession of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| April 25, 2023 | LA | SB 49 | Establishes New Penalties for the Operation of a Fentanyl Producing Laboratory | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 2) |
| June 2, 2022 | LA | HB 629 | Prohibits Use of Marijuana Odor to Justify Warrantless Searches | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| May 24, 2022 | LA | HB 988 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Employees Using Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 32) |
| June 7, 2021 | LA | HB 652 | Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| May 27, 2020 | LA | HB 819 | Expands Access to Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| May 9, 2018 | LA | HB 627 | Authorizes Recommendation of Medical Marijuana for Treating Certain Health Conditions of Individuals with Autism | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| May 9, 2018 | LA | HB 823 | Amends Termination Date of Medical Marijuana Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| May 16, 2016 | LA | SB 271 | Expands Eligibility for Medical Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| April 20, 2016 | LA | SB 271 | Expands Eligibility for Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| April 19, 2016 | LA | SB 271 | Expands Eligibility for Medical Marijuana | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| June 3, 2015 | LA | HB 149 | Amends Penalties for Marijuana Possesion | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| May 4, 2015 | LA | SB 143 | Authorizes Pharmacies to Distribute Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| June 6, 2013 | LA | HB 103 | Reduces Penalties for Marijuana Possession | Motion Rejected - Senate (24 - 11) |
| June 21, 2011 | LA | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12) |