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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 28, 2013 | TN | SB 142 | Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas | Bill Passed - House (72 - 22) |
| Feb. 11, 2013 | TN | SB 142 | Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5) |
| April 25, 2012 | TN | SB 2580 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| April 18, 2012 | TN | HB 3517 | Expands Definition of Offense Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (80 - 18) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| April 14, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
| June 9, 2010 | TN | HB 670 | Requiring Correctional Facilities to Determine Immigration Status of Inmates | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 30) |
| June 9, 2010 | TN | HB 670 | Requiring Correctional Facilities to Determine Immigration Status of Inmates | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 7) |
| June 4, 2010 | TN | SB 3012 | Guns in Bars | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 30) |
| May 27, 2010 | TN | SB 3012 | Guns in Bars | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| May 10, 2010 | TN | SB 63 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| May 10, 2010 | TN | HB 270 | Citizenship Status for Voting and Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| June 4, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| June 3, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| May 4, 2009 | TN | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| May 4, 2009 | TN | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| April 27, 2009 | TN | SB 393 | Prohibiting Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (67 - 24) |
| April 16, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| April 6, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| March 19, 2009 | TN | HB 390 | Allowing Loaded "Long Guns" in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (82 - 10) |
| March 12, 2009 | TN | HB 254 | Eliminating Thumbprint Requirement for Gun Purchases | Bill Passed - House (82 - 11) |
| April 29, 2008 | TN | SB 3042 | Open Container Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | TN | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| Jan. 16, 2008 | TN | SB 23 | Allowing Guns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| May 31, 2007 | TN | SB 2143 | Legalization of Handguns in State Parks | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| May 24, 2007 | TN | SB 1325 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| April 16, 2007 | TN | SB 227 | Voter ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| May 11, 2006 | TN | SB 1678 | Establishing Voting Rights Guidelines for Convicted Felons | Bill Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| May 11, 2006 | TN | SB 1678 | Establishing Voting Rights Guidelines for Convicted Felons | Bill Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| May 1, 2006 | TN | HA 1232 | Removing Sexual Orientation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 32) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/28 | SB 142 | Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas | Bill Passed - House (72 - 22) |
| 2/11 | SB 142 | Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5) |
| 4/25 | SB 2580 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 4/18 | HB 3517 | Expands Definition of Offense Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (80 - 18) |
| 2/27 | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| 2/23 | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/16 | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| 5/20 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 4/14 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
| 6/09 | HB 670 | Requiring Correctional Facilities to Determine Immigration Status of Inmates | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 30) |
| 6/09 | HB 670 | Requiring Correctional Facilities to Determine Immigration Status of Inmates | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 6/04 | SB 3012 | Guns in Bars | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 30) |
| 5/27 | SB 3012 | Guns in Bars | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 5/10 | SB 63 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 5/10 | HB 270 | Citizenship Status for Voting and Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 6/04 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 6/03 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| 5/04 | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| 5/04 | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| 4/27 | SB 393 | Prohibiting Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (67 - 24) |
| 4/16 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 4/06 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| 3/19 | HB 390 | Allowing Loaded "Long Guns" in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (82 - 10) |
| 3/12 | HB 254 | Eliminating Thumbprint Requirement for Gun Purchases | Bill Passed - House (82 - 11) |
| 4/29 | SB 3042 | Open Container Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 2/13 | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| 1/16 | SB 23 | Allowing Guns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| 5/31 | SB 2143 | Legalization of Handguns in State Parks | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| 5/24 | SB 1325 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| 4/16 | SB 227 | Voter ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 5/11 | SB 1678 | Establishing Voting Rights Guidelines for Convicted Felons | Bill Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| 5/11 | SB 1678 | Establishing Voting Rights Guidelines for Convicted Felons | Bill Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| 5/01 | HA 1232 | Removing Sexual Orientation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 32) |