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. 1, 2013 National HR 6726 Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act Bill Passed - House (287 - 129)
March 18, 2013 NJ A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
Jan. 28, 2013 NJ A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
Jan. 30, 2013 KS SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Jan. 31, 2013 National HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34)
Jan. 23, 2013 National HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (285 - 144)
Feb. 14, 2013 NJ AR 91 Extends the Term of a Special Committee Investigating the Finances of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Resolution Passed - House (46 - 29)
Feb. 15, 2013 National HR 273 Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees Bill Passed - House (261 - 154)
Feb. 6, 2013 NH CACR1 Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
March 13, 2013 KS HB 2019 Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
March 1, 2013 KS HB 2019 Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals Bill Passed - House (73 - 50)
March 6, 2013 KY HB 2 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
March 6, 2013 WI SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - House (59 - 37)
Jan. 29, 2013 WI SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
May 15, 2013 TX SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80)
March 19, 2013 TX SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
March 7, 2013 MO HJR 4 Increases Representative Term Limits Joint Resolution Passed - House (121 - 31)
April 9, 2013 AR HJR 1009 Amends Campaign Contribution Laws Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 12)
April 16, 2013 MN SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
April 25, 2013 MI SB 288 Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
May 19, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
May 17, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62)
June 21, 2013 TX SB 4 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (93 - 47)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/01 HR 6726 Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act Bill Passed - House (287 - 129)
3/18 A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
1/28 A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
1/30 SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
1/31 HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34)
1/23 HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (285 - 144)
2/14 AR 91 Extends the Term of a Special Committee Investigating the Finances of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Resolution Passed - House (46 - 29)
2/15 HR 273 Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees Bill Passed - House (261 - 154)
2/06 CACR1 Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149)
2/22 SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
2/22 SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
3/13 HB 2019 Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
3/01 HB 2019 Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals Bill Passed - House (73 - 50)
3/06 HB 2 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
3/06 SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - House (59 - 37)
1/29 SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
5/15 SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80)
3/19 SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
3/07 HJR 4 Increases Representative Term Limits Joint Resolution Passed - House (121 - 31)
4/09 HJR 1009 Amends Campaign Contribution Laws Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 12)
4/16 SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
4/25 SB 288 Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
5/19 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
5/17 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62)
6/21 SB 4 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (93 - 47)

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