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
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
Aug. 27, 2013 MI HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
July 3, 2013 PA HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
June 10, 2013 National S 954 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27)
May 23, 2013 ME LD 1546 Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 22, 2013 IA SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24)
May 8, 2013 AZ HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
April 24, 2013 AL SB 191 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
April 18, 2013 MT HB 377 Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
April 11, 2013 OR SB 822 Amends the Public Employee Retirement System Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
April 8, 2013 AR SB 875 Reduces Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amounts Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
March 20, 2013 IL SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 22)
Feb. 28, 2013 IL SB 26 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
Feb. 26, 2013 NC SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
8/27 HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
7/03 HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
6/10 S 954 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27)
5/23 LD 1546 Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/22 SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24)
5/08 HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
4/24 SB 191 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
4/18 HB 377 Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
4/11 SB 822 Amends the Public Employee Retirement System Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
4/08 SB 875 Reduces Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amounts Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
3/20 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 22)
2/28 SB 26 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
2/26 SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16)

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