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
Dec. 5, 2013 National H Amdt 521 Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213)
Dec. 5, 2013 National H Amdt 524 Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266)
Dec. 5, 2013 National HR 3309 Innovation Act Bill Passed - House (325 - 91)
Nov. 14, 2013 National HR 2655 Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (228 - 195)
Nov. 13, 2013 National HR 982 Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (221 - 199)
Nov. 6, 2013 MI SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - House (57 - 52)
Oct. 30, 2013 MI SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Sept. 18, 2013 National H Amdt 463 Amends the Definition of "Strategic and Critical Minerals" Amendment Rejected - House (187 - 241)
Sept. 18, 2013 National HR 761 National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (246 - 178)
Sept. 11, 2013 MO SB 267 Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws Veto Override Failed - House (108 - 53)
Sept. 11, 2013 MO SB 267 Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
July 24, 2013 NC HB 522 Prohibits the Application of Foreign Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 37)
July 3, 2013 NC HB 695 Amends Abortion Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12)
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 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 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 National H Amdt 72 Increases Time to File a Claim Under the Northern Route Approval Act from 60 Days to 1 Year Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234)
May 20, 2013 CA SB 439 Exempts Certain Medical Marijuana Collectives and Cooperatives from Prosecution Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
May 15, 2013 MO HB 650 Limits Punitive Awards for Lead Exposure from Certain Mines Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 63)
May 15, 2013 AZ SB 1178 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - House (32 - 24)
May 14, 2013 NV SB 139 Classifies Crimes Based on Gender Identity or Expression as Felonies Bill Passed - House (30 - 11)
May 8, 2013 MO SB 267 Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (109 - 41)
May 1, 2013 FL SB 1792 Amends Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Requirements Bill Passed - House (77 - 38)
April 30, 2013 HI HB 622 Limits Media 'Shield Law' Provisions Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9)
April 29, 2013 FL HB 7083 Limits Post-Conviction Death Penalty Appeals Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
April 25, 2013 FL HB 7083 Limits Post-Conviction Death Penalty Appeals Bill Passed - House (84 - 34)
April 18, 2013 FL SB 718 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - House (85 - 31)
April 16, 2013 IL HB 2404 Amends Definition of Delinquent Minor Bill Passed - House (89 - 26)
April 11, 2013 MO SB 267 Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
April 11, 2013 FL SB 1792 Amends Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
April 5, 2013 AR SB 1093 Requires Racial Impact Statement For Crime Bills Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 10)
April 4, 2013 FL SB 718 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
March 13, 2013 CO HB 1166 Repeals Classification of Adultery as a Criminal Offense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
March 11, 2013 WA HB 1000 Authorizes Immunity to Health Care Providers Following End-Of-Life Directives Bill Passed - House (59 - 36)
March 11, 2013 CO SB 197 Prohibits a Domestic Violence Offender from Owning a Firearm Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
Feb. 28, 2013 KS SB 63 Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
Feb. 28, 2013 KS SB 142 Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
Feb. 28, 2013 KS Holland Amendment to SB 63 Prohibits the Secretary of State from Operating a PAC Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 17)
Feb. 22, 2013 ND HB 1373 Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircrafts Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
Feb. 21, 2013 KY HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
Jan. 31, 2013 SD SB 70 Establishes Alternative Court Programs for Nonviolent Offenders Bill Passed - House (63 - 7)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/05 H Amdt 521 Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213)
12/05 H Amdt 524 Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266)
12/05 HR 3309 Innovation Act Bill Passed - House (325 - 91)
11/14 HR 2655 Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (228 - 195)
11/13 HR 982 Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (221 - 199)
11/06 SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - House (57 - 52)
10/30 SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
9/18 H Amdt 463 Amends the Definition of "Strategic and Critical Minerals" Amendment Rejected - House (187 - 241)
9/18 HR 761 National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (246 - 178)
9/11 SB 267 Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws Veto Override Failed - House (108 - 53)
9/11 SB 267 Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
7/24 HB 522 Prohibits the Application of Foreign Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 37)
7/03 HB 695 Amends Abortion Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12)
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)
5/26 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)
5/22 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 H Amdt 72 Increases Time to File a Claim Under the Northern Route Approval Act from 60 Days to 1 Year Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234)
5/20 SB 439 Exempts Certain Medical Marijuana Collectives and Cooperatives from Prosecution Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
5/15 HB 650 Limits Punitive Awards for Lead Exposure from Certain Mines Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 63)
5/15 SB 1178 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - House (32 - 24)
5/14 SB 139 Classifies Crimes Based on Gender Identity or Expression as Felonies Bill Passed - House (30 - 11)
5/08 SB 267 Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (109 - 41)
5/01 SB 1792 Amends Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Requirements Bill Passed - House (77 - 38)
4/30 HB 622 Limits Media 'Shield Law' Provisions Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9)
4/29 HB 7083 Limits Post-Conviction Death Penalty Appeals Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
4/25 HB 7083 Limits Post-Conviction Death Penalty Appeals Bill Passed - House (84 - 34)
4/18 SB 718 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - House (85 - 31)
4/16 HB 2404 Amends Definition of Delinquent Minor Bill Passed - House (89 - 26)
4/11 SB 267 Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
4/11 SB 1792 Amends Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
4/05 SB 1093 Requires Racial Impact Statement For Crime Bills Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 10)
4/04 SB 718 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
3/13 HB 1166 Repeals Classification of Adultery as a Criminal Offense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
3/11 HB 1000 Authorizes Immunity to Health Care Providers Following End-Of-Life Directives Bill Passed - House (59 - 36)
3/11 SB 197 Prohibits a Domestic Violence Offender from Owning a Firearm Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
2/28 SB 63 Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
2/28 SB 142 Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
2/28 Holland Amendment to SB 63 Prohibits the Secretary of State from Operating a PAC Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 17)
2/22 HB 1373 Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircrafts Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
2/21 HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
1/31 SB 70 Establishes Alternative Court Programs for Nonviolent Offenders Bill Passed - House (63 - 7)

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