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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
June 12, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
June 12, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
June 11, 2013 | ME | LD 1286 | Prohibits Slaughter of Horses for Human Consumption | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (94 - 49) |
June 6, 2013 | National | HR 2217 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 182) |
June 5, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - House (77 - 39) |
June 5, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - House (77 - 39) |
June 4, 2013 | National | H Amdt 84 | Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba | Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254) |
June 3, 2013 | NV | SB 221 | Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (23 - 19) |
June 2, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12) |
May 30, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
May 30, 2013 | NJ | A 3659 | Amends the Definition of Destructive Devices | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
May 29, 2013 | CA | AB 48 | Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines | Bill Passed - House (46 - 26) |
May 29, 2013 | CA | SB 53 | Requires Ammunition Purchasers to Undergo a Background Check | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
May 29, 2013 | CA | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Bill Passed - House (64 - 11) |
May 29, 2013 | CA | AB 48 | Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines | Bill Passed - House (46 - 26) |
May 28, 2013 | IL | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 48) |
May 28, 2013 | OR | SB 154 | Requires Signature Gathering Firms to Meet Certain Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
May 26, 2013 | TX | HB 912 | Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5) |
May 26, 2013 | TX | HB 912 | Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5) |
May 24, 2013 | TX | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 61) |
May 23, 2013 | IL | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20) |
May 22, 2013 | AZ | SB 1178 | Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
May 22, 2013 | TX | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
May 22, 2013 | TX | SB 21 | Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (104 - 42) |
May 22, 2013 | TX | HB 1009 | Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
6/12 | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
6/12 | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
6/11 | LD 1286 | Prohibits Slaughter of Horses for Human Consumption | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (94 - 49) |
6/06 | HR 2217 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 182) |
6/05 | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - House (77 - 39) |
6/05 | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - House (77 - 39) |
6/04 | H Amdt 84 | Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba | Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254) |
6/03 | SB 221 | Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (23 - 19) |
6/02 | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12) |
5/30 | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
5/30 | A 3659 | Amends the Definition of Destructive Devices | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
5/29 | AB 48 | Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines | Bill Passed - House (46 - 26) |
5/29 | SB 53 | Requires Ammunition Purchasers to Undergo a Background Check | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
5/29 | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Bill Passed - House (64 - 11) |
5/29 | AB 48 | Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines | Bill Passed - House (46 - 26) |
5/28 | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 48) |
5/28 | SB 154 | Requires Signature Gathering Firms to Meet Certain Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
5/26 | HB 912 | Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5) |
5/26 | HB 912 | Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5) |
5/24 | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 61) |
5/23 | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20) |
5/22 | SB 1178 | Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
5/22 | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
5/22 | SB 21 | Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (104 - 42) |
5/22 | HB 1009 | Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |