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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 9, 2013 | AR | HB 1855 | Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
April 5, 2013 | AR | SB 1093 | Requires Racial Impact Statement For Crime Bills | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 10) |
May 22, 2013 | AZ | SB 1178 | Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
May 8, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
May 20, 2013 | CA | SB 439 | Exempts Certain Medical Marijuana Collectives and Cooperatives from Prosecution | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
March 13, 2013 | CO | HB 1166 | Repeals Classification of Adultery as a Criminal Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
March 11, 2013 | CO | SB 197 | Prohibits a Domestic Violence Offender from Owning a Firearm | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
April 29, 2013 | FL | HB 7083 | Limits Post-Conviction Death Penalty Appeals | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
April 4, 2013 | FL | SB 718 | Amends Alimony Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11) |
April 11, 2013 | FL | SB 1792 | Amends Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
April 30, 2013 | HI | HB 622 | Limits Media 'Shield Law' Provisions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
April 17, 2013 | IA | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
March 13, 2013 | KS | HB 2019 | Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 63 | Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
Jan. 30, 2013 | KS | SCR 1601 | Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | Holland Amendment to SB 63 | Prohibits the Secretary of State from Operating a PAC | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 17) |
Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 142 | Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
Feb. 13, 2013 | KY | SB 9 | Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
May 30, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
June 4, 2013 | LA | SB 188 | Increases Judicial Pay | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
Oct. 30, 2013 | MI | SB 652 | Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
Oct. 30, 2013 | MI | SB 652 | Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
Sept. 11, 2013 | MO | SB 267 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
April 11, 2013 | MO | SB 267 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
Feb. 12, 2013 | National | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
July 23, 2013 | NC | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
June 12, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
July 3, 2013 | NC | HB 695 | Amends Abortion Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
April 3, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
May 26, 2013 | TX | HB 912 | Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5) |
May 22, 2013 | TX | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
4/09 | HB 1855 | Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
4/05 | SB 1093 | Requires Racial Impact Statement For Crime Bills | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 10) |
5/22 | SB 1178 | Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
5/08 | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
5/20 | SB 439 | Exempts Certain Medical Marijuana Collectives and Cooperatives from Prosecution | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
3/13 | HB 1166 | Repeals Classification of Adultery as a Criminal Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
3/11 | SB 197 | Prohibits a Domestic Violence Offender from Owning a Firearm | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
4/29 | HB 7083 | Limits Post-Conviction Death Penalty Appeals | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
4/04 | SB 718 | Amends Alimony Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11) |
4/11 | SB 1792 | Amends Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
4/30 | HB 622 | Limits Media 'Shield Law' Provisions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
4/17 | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
3/13 | HB 2019 | Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
2/28 | SB 63 | Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
1/30 | SCR 1601 | Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
2/28 | Holland Amendment to SB 63 | Prohibits the Secretary of State from Operating a PAC | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 17) |
2/28 | SB 142 | Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
2/13 | SB 9 | Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
5/30 | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
6/04 | SB 188 | Increases Judicial Pay | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
10/30 | SB 652 | Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
10/30 | SB 652 | Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
9/11 | SB 267 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
4/11 | SB 267 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
2/12 | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
7/23 | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
6/12 | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
7/03 | HB 695 | Amends Abortion Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
4/03 | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
5/26 | HB 912 | Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5) |
5/22 | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |