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
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ A 4366 Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ A 4366 Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period Bill Passed - House (46 - 23)
June 24, 2011 NY A 8354 Marriage Equality Enactment Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29)
June 15, 2011 NY A 8354 Marriage Equality Enactment Bill Passed - House (80 - 63)
April 16, 2019 NV AB 139 Requires Individuals to be At Least 18 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - House (32 - 8)
March 17, 2014 AK Amdt 1 Exempts Same-Sex Partners of Military Members from Driver's License Requirements Amendment Rejected - House (14 - 22)
April 1, 2011 TX Amdt 143 Requiring Public Colleges and Universities to Fund Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values Amendment Adopted - House (110 - 24)
March 9, 2011 MD Amendment 223923 Civil Marriage Protection Act Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72)
Jan. 29, 2016 ID H 425 Expands Tax Law to Include Marriages Authorized by the Supreme Court Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
May 2, 2013 RI H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 15)
April 24, 2013 RI H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Jan. 24, 2013 RI H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (51 - 19)
May 9, 2012 National H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
July 12, 1996 National H Amdt 1286 Definition of Marriage Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311)
July 19, 2012 National H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
March 13, 2013 CO HB 1166 Repeals Classification of Adultery as a Criminal Offense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
March 14, 2012 NH HB 1264 Authorizes Individuals to Refuse to Provide Services for Marriages "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (246 - 85)
April 21, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40)
April 21, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21)
Feb. 28, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
Nov. 29, 2023 OH HB 161 Repeals the Marital Loophole in Rape Cases Bill Passed - House (75 - 1)
Feb. 19, 2018 MO HB 1630 Increases Minimum Age for Marriage to 16 Bill Passed - House (95 - 50)
Jan. 30, 2013 WY HB 168 Authorizes Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Failed - House (25 - 34)
March 6, 2013 OK HB 1908 Establishes a Marriage Promotion Campaign Bill Passed - House (71 - 27)
March 28, 2023 OR HB 2032 Expands "Domestic Partnership" Eligibility Under Family Fairness Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/09 A 4366 Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
1/09 A 4366 Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period Bill Passed - House (46 - 23)
6/24 A 8354 Marriage Equality Enactment Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29)
6/15 A 8354 Marriage Equality Enactment Bill Passed - House (80 - 63)
4/16 AB 139 Requires Individuals to be At Least 18 Years Old to Marry Bill Passed - House (32 - 8)
3/17 Amdt 1 Exempts Same-Sex Partners of Military Members from Driver's License Requirements Amendment Rejected - House (14 - 22)
4/01 Amdt 143 Requiring Public Colleges and Universities to Fund Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values Amendment Adopted - House (110 - 24)
3/09 Amendment 223923 Civil Marriage Protection Act Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72)
1/29 H 425 Expands Tax Law to Include Marriages Authorized by the Supreme Court Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
5/02 H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 15)
4/24 H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
1/24 H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (51 - 19)
5/09 H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
7/12 H Amdt 1286 Definition of Marriage Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311)
7/19 H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
3/13 HB 1166 Repeals Classification of Adultery as a Criminal Offense Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
3/14 HB 1264 Authorizes Individuals to Refuse to Provide Services for Marriages "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (246 - 85)
4/21 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40)
4/21 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21)
2/28 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
11/29 HB 161 Repeals the Marital Loophole in Rape Cases Bill Passed - House (75 - 1)
2/19 HB 1630 Increases Minimum Age for Marriage to 16 Bill Passed - House (95 - 50)
1/30 HB 168 Authorizes Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Failed - House (25 - 34)
3/06 HB 1908 Establishes a Marriage Promotion Campaign Bill Passed - House (71 - 27)
3/28 HB 2032 Expands "Domestic Partnership" Eligibility Under Family Fairness Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 12)

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