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
Dec. 3, 2013 IL SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53)
Dec. 3, 2013 IL SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24)
Nov. 20, 2013 National H Amdt 507 Specifies the Authority of the Secretary of Interior on the Regulation of Methane Emissions Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 230)
Nov. 20, 2013 National HR 2728 Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act Bill Passed - House (235 - 187)
Nov. 6, 2013 IL SB 1523 Amends Pension Code Bill Passed - House (87 - 26)
Nov. 6, 2013 MI SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - House (57 - 52)
Oct. 30, 2013 MI SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 144)
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
Oct. 1, 2013 National H J Res 71 District of Columbia Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Failed - House (265 - 163)
Sept. 20, 2013 National HR 1526 Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act Bill Passed - House (244 - 173)
Sept. 12, 2013 National HR 2775 No Subsidies Without Verification Act Bill Passed - House (235 - 191)
Sept. 11, 2013 MO HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12)
Sept. 11, 2013 MO HB 278 Prohibits a Public Entity from Limiting the Practice or Celebration of Any Federal Holiday Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Sept. 11, 2013 MO HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Veto Override Passed - House (109 - 49)
Sept. 11, 2013 MO HB 278 Prohibits a Public Entity from Limiting the Practice or Celebration of Any Federal Holiday Veto Override Passed - House (114 - 45)
Sept. 11, 2013 CA AB 484 Amends State School Testing Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 22)
Sept. 10, 2013 CA AB 484 Amends State School Testing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
July 25, 2013 National HR 2218 Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (265 - 155)
July 23, 2013 NC SB 76 Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements and Authorizes Off-Shore Drilling Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 11)
July 22, 2013 NC SB 76 Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements and Authorizes Off-Shore Drilling Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 40)
July 18, 2013 NC SB 81 Establishes the Charlotte International Airport Authority Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
July 16, 2013 NC SB 81 Establishes the Charlotte International Airport Authority Bill Passed - House (75 - 39)
June 28, 2013 National HR 2231 Offshore Energy and Jobs Act Bill Passed - House (235 - 186)
June 20, 2013 National H Amdt 231 Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198)
June 14, 2013 CA AB 76 Specifies that Compliance with the California Public Records Act is Optional Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 25)
June 14, 2013 CA AB 76 Specifies that Compliance with the California Public Records Act is Optional Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
May 27, 2013 IL SB 26 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (63 - 55)
May 26, 2013 TX HB 912 Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5)
May 23, 2013 IA SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 17)
May 23, 2013 IL HB 3227 Amends State Health Benefits Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
May 22, 2013 IA SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24)
May 14, 2013 WI AB 85 Amends Milwaukee County Board Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
May 13, 2013 OR SB 602 Prohibits Motorized Boats and Seaplanes on Waldo Lake Bill Passed - House (37 - 20)
May 8, 2013 MO HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (116 - 38)
May 8, 2013 MO SB 265 Prohibits Compliance with United Nations Agenda 21 Bill Passed - House (118 - 37)
May 8, 2013 WI AB 85 Amends Milwaukee County Board Regulations Bill Passed - House (60 - 38)
May 7, 2013 TX HB 928 Prohibits State Funds from Being Used for the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - House (101 - 31)
May 6, 2013 National S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27)
May 6, 2013 TX HB 1076 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - House (100 - 47)
May 6, 2013 LA HB 45 Establishes Licenses for the In-State Sale and Manufacture of Firearms Bill Passed - House (77 - 20)
May 2, 2013 MO HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
May 2, 2013 NC SB 612 Amends Environmental Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
May 1, 2013 IA SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
April 30, 2013 ME SP 548 Encourages Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance Joint Resolution Passed - House (111 - 31)
April 30, 2013 ME SP 550 Alleges Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform Joint Resolution Passed - House (88 - 55)
April 30, 2013 ME SP 548 Encourages Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
April 30, 2013 AL SB 93 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
April 30, 2013 ME SP 550 Alleges Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
April 25, 2013 National S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/03 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53)
12/03 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24)
11/20 H Amdt 507 Specifies the Authority of the Secretary of Interior on the Regulation of Methane Emissions Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 230)
11/20 HR 2728 Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act Bill Passed - House (235 - 187)
11/06 SB 1523 Amends Pension Code Bill Passed - House (87 - 26)
11/06 SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - House (57 - 52)
10/30 SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 144)
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
10/01 H J Res 71 District of Columbia Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Failed - House (265 - 163)
9/20 HR 1526 Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act Bill Passed - House (244 - 173)
9/12 HR 2775 No Subsidies Without Verification Act Bill Passed - House (235 - 191)
9/11 HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12)
9/11 HB 278 Prohibits a Public Entity from Limiting the Practice or Celebration of Any Federal Holiday Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
9/11 HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Veto Override Passed - House (109 - 49)
9/11 HB 278 Prohibits a Public Entity from Limiting the Practice or Celebration of Any Federal Holiday Veto Override Passed - House (114 - 45)
9/11 AB 484 Amends State School Testing Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 22)
9/10 AB 484 Amends State School Testing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
7/25 HR 2218 Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (265 - 155)
7/23 SB 76 Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements and Authorizes Off-Shore Drilling Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 11)
7/22 SB 76 Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements and Authorizes Off-Shore Drilling Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 40)
7/18 SB 81 Establishes the Charlotte International Airport Authority Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
7/16 SB 81 Establishes the Charlotte International Airport Authority Bill Passed - House (75 - 39)
6/28 HR 2231 Offshore Energy and Jobs Act Bill Passed - House (235 - 186)
6/20 H Amdt 231 Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198)
6/14 AB 76 Specifies that Compliance with the California Public Records Act is Optional Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 25)
6/14 AB 76 Specifies that Compliance with the California Public Records Act is Optional Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
5/27 SB 26 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (63 - 55)
5/26 HB 912 Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5)
5/23 SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 17)
5/23 HB 3227 Amends State Health Benefits Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
5/22 SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24)
5/14 AB 85 Amends Milwaukee County Board Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
5/13 SB 602 Prohibits Motorized Boats and Seaplanes on Waldo Lake Bill Passed - House (37 - 20)
5/08 HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (116 - 38)
5/08 SB 265 Prohibits Compliance with United Nations Agenda 21 Bill Passed - House (118 - 37)
5/08 AB 85 Amends Milwaukee County Board Regulations Bill Passed - House (60 - 38)
5/07 HB 928 Prohibits State Funds from Being Used for the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - House (101 - 31)
5/06 S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27)
5/06 HB 1076 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - House (100 - 47)
5/06 HB 45 Establishes Licenses for the In-State Sale and Manufacture of Firearms Bill Passed - House (77 - 20)
5/02 HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
5/02 SB 612 Amends Environmental Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
5/01 SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
4/30 SP 548 Encourages Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance Joint Resolution Passed - House (111 - 31)
4/30 SP 550 Alleges Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform Joint Resolution Passed - House (88 - 55)
4/30 SP 548 Encourages Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
4/30 SB 93 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
4/30 SP 550 Alleges Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
4/25 S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30)

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