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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
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) |
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. 6, 2013 | NH | CACR1 | Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149) |
Aug. 2, 2013 | National | H Amdt 448 | Requires Congressional Approval Prior to Establishing a Tax on Carbon Emissions | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 176) |
Aug. 2, 2013 | National | H Amdt 450 | Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 185) |
Aug. 23, 2013 | KY | HB 1 | State Legislative Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 18) |
Aug. 23, 2013 | KY | HB 1 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
Dec. 17, 2013 | PA | HB 1234 | Reduces Size of General Assembly | Joint Resolution Passed - House (148 - 50) |
March 6, 2013 | KY | HB 2 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
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) |
June 13, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24) |
May 8, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
May 8, 2013 | NC | HB 9 | Establishes Term Limits for House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tempore | Amendment Adopted - House (85 - 34) |
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) |
April 9, 2013 | AR | HJR 1009 | Amends Campaign Contribution Laws | Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 12) |
March 7, 2013 | MO | HJR 4 | Increases Representative Term Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - House (121 - 31) |
Sept. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
Sept. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 201) |
Sept. 27, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44) |
Sept. 20, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (230 - 189) |
Aug. 1, 2013 | National | HR 1582 | Energy Consumers Relief Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 181) |
Aug. 2, 2013 | National | HR 2009 | Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 185) |
Feb. 15, 2013 | National | HR 273 | Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees | Bill Passed - House (261 - 154) |
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) |
Aug. 2, 2013 | National | HR 367 | Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 183) |
Jan. 1, 2013 | National | HR 6726 | Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act | Bill Passed - House (287 - 129) |
April 30, 2013 | ME | LD 134 | Reduces Size of State Legislature | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (113 - 30) |
March 6, 2013 | WI | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
June 21, 2013 | TX | SB 2 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (109 - 30) |
Jan. 29, 2013 | WI | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
April 25, 2013 | MI | SB 288 | Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
June 23, 2013 | TX | SB 3 | State House Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
June 21, 2013 | TX | SB 3 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (93 - 46) |
Feb. 22, 2013 | KY | SB 39 | Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
June 21, 2013 | TX | SB 4 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (93 - 47) |
June 14, 2013 | TX | SB 4 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11) |
Feb. 22, 2013 | KY | SB 40 | Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
Jan. 30, 2013 | KS | SCR 1601 | Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
April 16, 2013 | MN | SF 1589 | Increases Legislator Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
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) |
June 2, 2013 | NV | SJR 8 | Establishes Annual Legislative Sessions | Bill Passed - House (23 - 18) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
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) |
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) |
2/06 | CACR1 | Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149) |
8/02 | H Amdt 448 | Requires Congressional Approval Prior to Establishing a Tax on Carbon Emissions | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 176) |
8/02 | H Amdt 450 | Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 185) |
8/23 | HB 1 | State Legislative Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 18) |
8/23 | HB 1 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
12/17 | HB 1234 | Reduces Size of General Assembly | Joint Resolution Passed - House (148 - 50) |
3/06 | HB 2 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
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) |
6/13 | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24) |
5/08 | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
5/08 | HB 9 | Establishes Term Limits for House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tempore | Amendment Adopted - House (85 - 34) |
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) |
4/09 | HJR 1009 | Amends Campaign Contribution Laws | Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 12) |
3/07 | HJR 4 | Increases Representative Term Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - House (121 - 31) |
9/30 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
9/30 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 201) |
9/27 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44) |
9/20 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (230 - 189) |
8/01 | HR 1582 | Energy Consumers Relief Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 181) |
8/02 | HR 2009 | Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 185) |
2/15 | HR 273 | Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees | Bill Passed - House (261 - 154) |
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) |
8/02 | HR 367 | Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 183) |
1/01 | HR 6726 | Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act | Bill Passed - House (287 - 129) |
4/30 | LD 134 | Reduces Size of State Legislature | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (113 - 30) |
3/06 | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
6/21 | SB 2 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (109 - 30) |
1/29 | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
4/25 | SB 288 | Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
6/23 | SB 3 | State House Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
6/21 | SB 3 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (93 - 46) |
2/22 | SB 39 | Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
6/21 | SB 4 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (93 - 47) |
6/14 | SB 4 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11) |
2/22 | SB 40 | Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
1/30 | SCR 1601 | Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
4/16 | SF 1589 | Increases Legislator Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
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) |
6/02 | SJR 8 | Establishes Annual Legislative Sessions | Bill Passed - House (23 - 18) |