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
Feb. 14, 2013 VT S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
April 10, 2013 MT SB 107 Amends Sexual Conduct Laws Bill Passed - House (64 - 35)
Feb. 20, 2013 MT SB 107 Amends Sexual Conduct Laws Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11)
Feb. 19, 2013 ME LD 576 Prohibits the Public Access of Concealed Handgun Permit Information Bill Passed - House (129 - 11)
Feb. 20, 2013 VA SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
Feb. 5, 2013 VA SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
April 1, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (52 - 45)
March 27, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
March 19, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
March 13, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (51 - 44)
Feb. 20, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 23, 2013 MT HB 240 Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (58 - 41)
Feb. 25, 2013 AK HB 69 Exempts Firearms from Federal Regulation Bill Passed - House (31 - 5)
Feb. 25, 2013 AK HB 69 Exempts Firearms from Federal Regulation Bill Passed - House (31 - 5)
Feb. 25, 2013 IN HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (78 - 17)
Feb. 25, 2013 IN HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (78 - 17)
Feb. 21, 2013 KY HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
Feb. 21, 2013 KY HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
Feb. 21, 2013 KY HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
Feb. 27, 2013 MT HB 384 Authorizes Students to Bring Firearms to School Bill Failed - House (45 - 53)
Feb. 26, 2013 NM HB 316 Prohibits Animal Killing Contests Bill Failed - House (30 - 38)
Feb. 6, 2013 MT HB 27 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - House (63 - 33)
Feb. 22, 2013 MT HB 205 Authorizes Use of Suppressors for Hunting Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
Feb. 28, 2013 AR HB 1037 Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks Veto Override Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
Feb. 27, 2013 AR HB 1037 Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks Veto Override Passed - House (53 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/14 S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
4/10 SB 107 Amends Sexual Conduct Laws Bill Passed - House (64 - 35)
2/20 SB 107 Amends Sexual Conduct Laws Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11)
2/19 LD 576 Prohibits the Public Access of Concealed Handgun Permit Information Bill Passed - House (129 - 11)
2/20 SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
2/05 SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
4/01 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (52 - 45)
3/27 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
3/19 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
3/13 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (51 - 44)
2/20 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/23 HB 240 Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (58 - 41)
2/25 HB 69 Exempts Firearms from Federal Regulation Bill Passed - House (31 - 5)
2/25 HB 69 Exempts Firearms from Federal Regulation Bill Passed - House (31 - 5)
2/25 HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (78 - 17)
2/25 HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (78 - 17)
2/21 HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
2/21 HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
2/21 HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
2/27 HB 384 Authorizes Students to Bring Firearms to School Bill Failed - House (45 - 53)
2/26 HB 316 Prohibits Animal Killing Contests Bill Failed - House (30 - 38)
2/06 HB 27 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - House (63 - 33)
2/22 HB 205 Authorizes Use of Suppressors for Hunting Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
2/28 HB 1037 Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks Veto Override Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
2/27 HB 1037 Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks Veto Override Passed - House (53 - 28)

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