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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 12, 2014 MI SB 319 Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
Feb. 11, 2014 WI AB 161 Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
Feb. 6, 2014 MD SB 263 Amends Baltimore's Needle and Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6)
Feb. 5, 2014 TN SJR 123 Requires Election of Attorney General Position Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14)
Feb. 5, 2014 KY SB 8 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
Feb. 4, 2014 NE LB 399 Authorizes Crime Prevention Vehicles to Use Amber Lights Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (32 - 12)
Feb. 4, 2014 IN SB 404 Establishes Regulations for High-Fence Hunting Preserves Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 23)
Jan. 30, 2014 CA SB 383 Authorizes Businesses to Collect Certain Cardholder Information in Online Transactions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Jan. 28, 2014 IN SB 229 Amends Firearm Buy-Back Program Laws Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/12 SB 319 Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
2/11 AB 161 Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
2/06 SB 263 Amends Baltimore's Needle and Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6)
2/05 SJR 123 Requires Election of Attorney General Position Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14)
2/05 SB 8 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
2/04 LB 399 Authorizes Crime Prevention Vehicles to Use Amber Lights Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (32 - 12)
2/04 SB 404 Establishes Regulations for High-Fence Hunting Preserves Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 23)
1/30 SB 383 Authorizes Businesses to Collect Certain Cardholder Information in Online Transactions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
1/28 SB 229 Amends Firearm Buy-Back Program Laws Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)

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