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. 10, 2014 MI HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Dec. 10, 2014 MI SB 275 Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Sept. 15, 2014 NH SB 391 Increases Oversight of Juvenile Justice Programs Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 9)
Sept. 10, 2014 MO SB 841 Establishes Regulations for Alternative Nicotine and Vapor Products Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
Aug. 26, 2014 CA SB 1174 Repeals Prohibition on Bilingual Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Aug. 19, 2014 CA AB 420 Prohibits Student Suspensions for Certain Actions and Misconduct Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
July 30, 2014 NC HB 1133 Amends Technical Language in Education, Firearm, and Economic Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
July 16, 2014 MA H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
July 2, 2014 AR HB 1004 Amends the Public School Health Insurance Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
May 29, 2014 CA SB 837 Establishes the California Prekindergarten Program Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
May 27, 2014 CA SB 1174 Repeals Prohibition on Bilingual Education Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
May 5, 2014 CA SB 1038 Amends Juvenile Court Records Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
May 2, 2014 MN SF 2047 Authorizes State to Store Infant Blood Samples Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 20)
April 23, 2014 CO HB 1288 Amends Student Immunization Laws Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
April 23, 2014 MN SF 2047 Authorizes State to Store Infant Blood Samples Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 22)
April 17, 2014 MO SB 841 Establishes Regulations for Alternative Nicotine and Vapor Products Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
April 7, 2014 NE LB 485 Prohibits Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (26 - 22)
April 3, 2014 AL HB 494 Amends Requirements for Minors Who Seek an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
March 24, 2014 CO SB 18 Expands List of Tobacco Products Prohibited to Minors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
March 13, 2014 IN HB 1036 Expands Voucher Eligibility Requirements for Child Care Providers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 6)
March 12, 2014 UT HB 96 Establishes a School Readiness Board Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10)
March 6, 2014 IN SB 50 Prohibits the Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
March 5, 2014 OK SB 1219 Prohibits Minors from Purchasing Certain Emergency Contraceptives Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
March 4, 2014 IN HB 1036 Expands Voucher Eligibility Requirements for Child Care Providers Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
Feb. 17, 2014 IN HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
Feb. 12, 2014 MI SB 319 Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
Jan. 31, 2014 WA SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
Jan. 23, 2014 IN SB 50 Prohibits the Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/10 HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
12/10 SB 275 Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
9/15 SB 391 Increases Oversight of Juvenile Justice Programs Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 9)
9/10 SB 841 Establishes Regulations for Alternative Nicotine and Vapor Products Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
8/26 SB 1174 Repeals Prohibition on Bilingual Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
8/19 AB 420 Prohibits Student Suspensions for Certain Actions and Misconduct Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
7/30 HB 1133 Amends Technical Language in Education, Firearm, and Economic Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
7/16 H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
7/02 HB 1004 Amends the Public School Health Insurance Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
5/29 SB 837 Establishes the California Prekindergarten Program Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
5/27 SB 1174 Repeals Prohibition on Bilingual Education Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
5/05 SB 1038 Amends Juvenile Court Records Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
5/02 SF 2047 Authorizes State to Store Infant Blood Samples Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 20)
4/23 HB 1288 Amends Student Immunization Laws Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
4/23 SF 2047 Authorizes State to Store Infant Blood Samples Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 22)
4/17 SB 841 Establishes Regulations for Alternative Nicotine and Vapor Products Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
4/07 LB 485 Prohibits Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (26 - 22)
4/03 HB 494 Amends Requirements for Minors Who Seek an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
3/24 SB 18 Expands List of Tobacco Products Prohibited to Minors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
3/13 HB 1036 Expands Voucher Eligibility Requirements for Child Care Providers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 6)
3/12 HB 96 Establishes a School Readiness Board Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10)
3/06 SB 50 Prohibits the Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
3/05 SB 1219 Prohibits Minors from Purchasing Certain Emergency Contraceptives Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
3/04 HB 1036 Expands Voucher Eligibility Requirements for Child Care Providers Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
2/17 HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
2/12 SB 319 Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
1/31 SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
1/23 SB 50 Prohibits the Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)

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