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