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:
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.
Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Feb. 20, 2014 | AL | HB 45 | Authorizes Display of the Ten Commandments on State Property | Amendment Adopted - House (77 - 19) |
Feb. 20, 2014 | AZ | SB 1062 | Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
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) |
Aug. 26, 2014 | CA | AB 1327 | Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
June 23, 2014 | CA | AJR 1 | Requests Constitutional Convention to Overturn Citizens United | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
Jan. 30, 2014 | CA | AJR 1 | Requests Constitutional Convention to Overturn Citizens United | Bill Passed - House (51 - 20) |
June 26, 2014 | DE | SB 36 | Authorizes Judges to Hold Suspects of Violent Felonies without Bail | Amendment Adopted - House (29 - 12) |
June 25, 2014 | DE | SB 36 | Authorizes Judges to Hold Suspects of Violent Felonies without Bail | Amendment Rejected - House (24 - 15) |
April 30, 2014 | FL | SJR 1188 | Authorizes Governor to Fill Prospective Judicial Vacancies | Joint Resolution Passed - House (74 - 45) |
April 3, 2014 | FL | SJR 1188 | Authorizes Governor to Fill Prospective Judicial Vacancies | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
March 20, 2014 | GA | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 13) |
March 18, 2014 | GA | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Resolution Passed - House (119 - 54) |
Feb. 24, 2014 | GA | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
Feb. 17, 2014 | GA | SB 318 | Authorizes Bars to Sell Alcohol on Certain Holiday Weekends | Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 20) |
May 22, 2014 | IL | SJRCA 75 | Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
May 22, 2014 | IL | SJRCA 75 | Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
Feb. 17, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
Feb. 17, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40) |
Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40) |
Feb. 4, 2014 | KY | SB 58 | Repeals the Office of the State Secretary of the Treasury | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Feb. 6, 2014 | KY | SB 1 | Authorizes Legislature to Review Administrative Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 14) |
Dec. 4, 2014 | MI | HB 5958 | Prohibits Government from Burdening an Individual's Exercise of Religion | Bill Passed - House (59 - 50) |
May 15, 2014 | MN | HF 3169 | Establishes a Legislative Salary Council | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 62) |
May 13, 2014 | MN | HF 3169 | Establishes a Legislative Salary Council | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 25) |
May 16, 2014 | MO | HJR 72 | Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 4) |
Feb. 27, 2014 | MO | HJR 47 | Amends Election Laws | Bill Passed - House (103 - 50) |
Feb. 20, 2014 | MO | HJR 72 | Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions | Amendment Adopted - House (109 - 42) |
Sept. 11, 2014 | National | S J Res 19 | A Joint Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States Relating to Contributions and Expenditures Intended to Affect Elections | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 42) |
Nov. 18, 2014 | National | S 2685 | USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
May 30, 2014 | National | H Amdt 763 | Prohibits Funds from Being Used to Require Journalists to Disclose Sources | Amendment Adopted - House (225 - 183) |
April 7, 2014 | NE | LR 41CA | Authorizes Gambling on Past Horse Races | Resolution Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
April 3, 2014 | NE | LR 41CA | Authorizes Gambling on Past Horse Races | Resolution Failed - Senate (28 - 19) |
Feb. 19, 2014 | NM | SJR 13 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Joint Resolution Failed - House (33 - 29) |
Feb. 14, 2014 | NM | SJR 13 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 17) |
Jan. 27, 2014 | NY | A 8070 | Requires Equal Pay | Bill Passed - House (88 - 43) |
March 17, 2014 | NY | A 2597A | Establishes the New York DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Failed - Senate (30 - 29) |
May 23, 2014 | OK | HJR 1092 | Authorizes School Districts To Issue Bonds For Improvements in Building Safety | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (16 - 25) |
May 23, 2014 | OK | HJR 1033 | Authorizes Bonds for Capitol Repairs | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 8) |
May 22, 2014 | OK | HJR 1092 | Authorizes School Districts to Issue Bonds for Improvements in Building Safety | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 39) |
May 22, 2014 | OK | HJR 1092 | Authorizes School Districts to Issue Bonds for Improvements in Building Safety | Conference Report Rejected - House (34 - 61) |
May 22, 2014 | OK | HJR 1033 | Authorizes Bonds for Capitol Repairs | Conference Report Adopted - House (55 - 34) |
March 13, 2014 | OK | HJR 1033 | Authorizes Bonds for Capitol Repairs | Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 31) |
March 13, 2014 | OK | HJR 1092 | Authorizes School Districts to Issue Bonds for Improvements in Building Safety | Amendment Adopted - House (65 - 28) |
March 5, 2014 | SD | HJR 1002 | Increases Legislative Term Limit Length | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
March 5, 2014 | SD | HJR 1001 | Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos | Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 10) |
Jan. 30, 2014 | SD | HJR 1001 | Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 30) |
Feb. 12, 2014 | SD | SB 142 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 15) |
Feb. 5, 2014 | SD | HJR 1002 | Increases Legislative Term Limit Length | Joint Resolution Passed - House (54 - 16) |
Feb. 5, 2014 | TN | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
March 10, 2014 | UT | HJR 8 | Requests a National Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Failed - House (32 - 41) |
Feb. 6, 2014 | VA | HJ 9 | Encourages Congress to Convene a Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Failed - House (29 - 67) |