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
April 3, 2014 NE LB 671 Prohibits the Hunting of Mountain Lions Veto Override Failed - Senate (28 - 21)
April 2, 2014 NE LB 671 Prohibits the Hunting of Mountain Lions Veto Override Failed - Senate (24 - 21)
March 24, 2014 NE LB 671 Prohibits the Hunting of Mountain Lions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
Feb. 18, 2014 ID S 1254 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Firearms on College or University Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Feb. 14, 2014 ID S 1337 Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
March 6, 2014 National S 1752 Military Justice Improvement Act of 2013 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
Nov. 18, 2014 National S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
Nov. 18, 2014 National S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
March 27, 2014 NJ S 783 Amends the Definition of an Unlawful Employment Practice Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Aug. 21, 2014 CA SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Aug. 21, 2014 CA SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
May 28, 2014 CA SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 28, 2014 CA SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 5, 2014 CA SB 1038 Amends Juvenile Court Records Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Feb. 19, 2014 AZ SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Feb. 19, 2014 AZ SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Dec. 3, 2014 MI SB 1130 Amends Public Health Code to Include Hepatitis C Virus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
Dec. 11, 2014 MI SB 1156 Prohibits Actions that Coerce a Woman to Get an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
April 16, 2014 AZ SB 1158 Amends Fireworks Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2014 KY SB 116 Amends Patent Laws Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Feb. 19, 2014 KY SB 119 Establishes Medical Malpractice Claims Review Panel Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
April 7, 2014 TN SB 1391 Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
April 7, 2014 TN SB 1391 Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Feb. 13, 2014 TN SB 1496 Authorizes Certain Individuals to Carry a Handgun in Public Parks Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Aug. 28, 2014 CA SB 199 Requires Certain Replica Guns to be Sold in Fluorescent Colors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/03 LB 671 Prohibits the Hunting of Mountain Lions Veto Override Failed - Senate (28 - 21)
4/02 LB 671 Prohibits the Hunting of Mountain Lions Veto Override Failed - Senate (24 - 21)
3/24 LB 671 Prohibits the Hunting of Mountain Lions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
2/18 S 1254 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Firearms on College or University Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
2/14 S 1337 Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
3/06 S 1752 Military Justice Improvement Act of 2013 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
11/18 S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
11/18 S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
3/27 S 783 Amends the Definition of an Unlawful Employment Practice Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
8/21 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
8/21 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
5/28 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/28 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/05 SB 1038 Amends Juvenile Court Records Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
2/19 SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
2/19 SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
12/03 SB 1130 Amends Public Health Code to Include Hepatitis C Virus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
12/11 SB 1156 Prohibits Actions that Coerce a Woman to Get an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
4/16 SB 1158 Amends Fireworks Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
2/25 SB 116 Amends Patent Laws Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
2/19 SB 119 Establishes Medical Malpractice Claims Review Panel Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
4/07 SB 1391 Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
4/07 SB 1391 Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
2/13 SB 1496 Authorizes Certain Individuals to Carry a Handgun in Public Parks Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
8/28 SB 199 Requires Certain Replica Guns to be Sold in Fluorescent Colors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)

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