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
June 27, 2013 NJ A 3371 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
April 24, 2013 RI H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
March 13, 2013 UT HB 103 Prohibits Minors From Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
July 3, 2013 PA HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
March 13, 2013 CO HB 1166 Repeals Classification of Adultery as a Criminal Offense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
March 1, 2013 UT HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
June 13, 2013 WA HB 2075 Repeals Marital Trust Estate Tax Exemption Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
May 15, 2013 IL HB 226 Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 9)
May 9, 2013 OR HB 2896 Prohibits The Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13)
July 25, 2013 NC HB 589 Amends Voter Registration Laws Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
May 7, 2013 DE HB 75 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
April 30, 2013 FL HB 867 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
May 13, 2013 MN HF 1054 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 30)
April 3, 2013 ME LD 272 Prohibits the Use of Tanning Facilities by Minors Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
June 20, 2013 NJ S 2842 Authorizes Medical Marijuana for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Nov. 12, 2013 HI SB 1 - HD 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 4)
Nov. 5, 2013 IL SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21)
Feb. 14, 2013 IL SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21)
March 6, 2013 SD SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
Feb. 6, 2013 SD SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
Feb. 6, 2013 SD SB 107 Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Feb. 6, 2013 SD SB 107 Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Feb. 11, 2013 CO SB 11 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Feb. 28, 2013 KS SB 142 Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
May 30, 2013 LA SB 162 Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3)
March 20, 2013 MD SB 30 Prohibits Smoking in Vehicles Containing Children Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
March 13, 2013 OR SB 444 Prohibits Smoking in a Car with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
March 18, 2013 WV SB 464 Prohibits The Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
May 2, 2013 CA SB 501 Requires Social Networking Sites to Remove Personal Identifying Information Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
April 4, 2013 FL SB 718 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
April 4, 2013 FL SB 718 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
March 6, 2013 OK SB 802 Prohibits the Sale of Electric Cigarettes to Minors Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 15)
April 24, 2013 IL SB 923 Authorizes the Use of Traffic Cameras on School Buses Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
Jan. 31, 2013 VA SB 975 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
April 22, 2013 NV SJR 13 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/27 A 3371 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
4/24 H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
3/13 HB 103 Prohibits Minors From Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
7/03 HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
3/13 HB 1166 Repeals Classification of Adultery as a Criminal Offense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
3/01 HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
6/13 HB 2075 Repeals Marital Trust Estate Tax Exemption Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
5/15 HB 226 Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 9)
5/09 HB 2896 Prohibits The Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13)
7/25 HB 589 Amends Voter Registration Laws Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
5/07 HB 75 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
4/30 HB 867 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
5/13 HF 1054 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 30)
4/03 LD 272 Prohibits the Use of Tanning Facilities by Minors Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
6/20 S 2842 Authorizes Medical Marijuana for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
11/12 SB 1 - HD 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 4)
11/05 SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21)
2/14 SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21)
3/06 SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
2/06 SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
2/06 SB 107 Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
2/06 SB 107 Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
2/11 SB 11 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
2/28 SB 142 Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
5/30 SB 162 Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3)
3/20 SB 30 Prohibits Smoking in Vehicles Containing Children Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
3/13 SB 444 Prohibits Smoking in a Car with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
3/18 SB 464 Prohibits The Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
5/02 SB 501 Requires Social Networking Sites to Remove Personal Identifying Information Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
4/04 SB 718 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
4/04 SB 718 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
3/06 SB 802 Prohibits the Sale of Electric Cigarettes to Minors Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 15)
4/24 SB 923 Authorizes the Use of Traffic Cameras on School Buses Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
1/31 SB 975 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
4/22 SJR 13 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (12 - 9)

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