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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 23, 2011 | NM | HB 39 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
Oct. 4, 2011 | UT | HB 3001 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 1) |
Oct. 17, 2011 | UT | SB 3002 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 5) |
Oct. 20, 2011 | MD | SB 1 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
Oct. 24, 2011 | SD | HB 1001 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
Nov. 7, 2011 | NC | SB 283 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
Nov. 7, 2011 | NC | SB 689 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
Nov. 7, 2011 | NC | HB 777 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
Nov. 9, 2011 | ND | HB 1473 | New Legislative Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
Jan. 26, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | PA | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | OH | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
Jan. 20, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
Jan. 18, 2012 | KY | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
Aug. 5, 2011 | WV | SB 1008 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 1) |
Jan. 27, 2012 | UT | HB 286 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0) |
Aug. 3, 2011 | WV | SB 1006 | Redistricing State Senate | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4) |
Feb. 1, 2012 | RI | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1472 | Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
Aug. 21, 2011 | WV | HB 201 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
Feb. 1, 2012 | WA | EHCR 4409 | Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4) |
Jan. 19, 2012 | TN | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
Feb. 29, 2012 | CO | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
March 6, 2012 | VA | HB 1228 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31) |
March 15, 2012 | KY | SB 18 | Amends Redistricting Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
March 14, 2012 | NY | A 9525 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
March 22, 2012 | FL | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
March 28, 2012 | ID | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
May 2, 2012 | MS | JR 201 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
May 24, 2012 | AL | HB 19 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
May 22, 2012 | AL | SB 25 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
May 2, 2012 | MS | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
May 16, 2012 | NH | CACR 26 | Authorizes the Legislature to Amend Supreme Court Rules | Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | CACR 12 | Legislative Authority of Education Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9) |
Sept. 22, 2012 | National | H J Res 117 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30) |
March 18, 2013 | NJ | A 3614 | Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
Jan. 30, 2013 | KS | SCR 1601 | Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
Jan. 31, 2013 | National | HR 325 | No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
Feb. 22, 2013 | KY | SB 39 | Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
Feb. 22, 2013 | KY | SB 40 | Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
March 13, 2013 | KS | HB 2019 | Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
Jan. 29, 2013 | WI | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
March 19, 2013 | TX | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
April 16, 2013 | MN | SF 1589 | Increases Legislator Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
April 25, 2013 | MI | SB 288 | Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
9/23 | HB 39 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
10/04 | HB 3001 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 1) |
10/17 | SB 3002 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 5) |
10/20 | SB 1 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
10/24 | HB 1001 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
11/07 | SB 283 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
11/07 | SB 689 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
11/07 | HB 777 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
11/09 | HB 1473 | New Legislative Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
1/26 | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
12/14 | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
12/14 | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
1/13 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
1/13 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
1/20 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
1/18 | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
8/05 | SB 1008 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 1) |
1/27 | HB 286 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0) |
8/03 | SB 1006 | Redistricing State Senate | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4) |
2/01 | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
2/02 | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
2/02 | S Amdt 1472 | Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
8/21 | HB 201 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
2/01 | EHCR 4409 | Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4) |
1/19 | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
2/29 | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
3/06 | HB 1228 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31) |
3/15 | SB 18 | Amends Redistricting Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
3/14 | A 9525 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
3/22 | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
3/28 | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
3/28 | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
5/02 | JR 201 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
5/24 | HB 19 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
5/22 | SB 25 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
5/02 | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
5/16 | CACR 26 | Authorizes the Legislature to Amend Supreme Court Rules | Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
6/06 | CACR 12 | Legislative Authority of Education Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
6/06 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9) |
9/22 | H J Res 117 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30) |
3/18 | A 3614 | Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
1/30 | SCR 1601 | Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
1/31 | HR 325 | No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
2/22 | SB 39 | Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
2/22 | SB 40 | Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
3/13 | HB 2019 | Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
1/29 | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
3/19 | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
4/16 | SF 1589 | Increases Legislator Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
4/25 | SB 288 | Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |