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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 17, 2013 | PA | HB 1234 | Reduces Size of General Assembly | Joint Resolution Passed - House (148 - 50) |
Nov. 20, 2013 | National | H Amdt 498 | Specifies That Certain Fees Do Not Limit the Right to Petition | Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 222) |
Nov. 20, 2013 | National | HR 1965 | Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act | Bill Passed - House (228 - 192) |
Nov. 19, 2013 | National | S Amdt 2175 | Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States | Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46) |
June 2, 2013 | NV | SJR 8 | Establishes Annual Legislative Sessions | Bill Passed - House (23 - 18) |
May 23, 2013 | NV | SJR 13 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - House (27 - 14) |
May 20, 2013 | NV | SB 243 | Requires DNA Samples for Felonies | Bill Passed - House (29 - 9) |
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) |
May 15, 2013 | TX | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80) |
May 13, 2013 | VT | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
May 8, 2013 | VT | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
May 8, 2013 | CT | HJR 36 | Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
May 8, 2013 | NC | HB 9 | Establishes Term Limits for House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tempore | Amendment Adopted - House (85 - 34) |
May 1, 2013 | VT | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Bill Passed - House (81 - 64) |
May 1, 2013 | IA | HF 527 | Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
April 30, 2013 | HI | SB 1084 | Authorizes the Use of Public Funds for Private Preschools | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 14) |
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 | LD 134 | Reduces Size of State Legislature | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (113 - 30) |
April 30, 2013 | AL | HB 8 | Requires Courts to Apply "Strict Scrutiny" to Certain Firearm Regulation Laws | Bill Passed - House (76 - 22) |
April 30, 2013 | ME | SP 548 | Encourages Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
April 25, 2013 | MI | SJR S | Establishes a Constitutional Authorization for Individuals to Hunt and Fish | Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 11) |
April 23, 2013 | ND | HCR 3047 | Establishes a Commission of Higher Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 34) |
April 23, 2013 | CO | HB 1251 | Requires DNA Samples for Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
April 22, 2013 | IN | SB 224 | Establishes the Duties of Constitutional Convention Delegates | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
April 22, 2013 | IN | SB 225 | Establishes Procedures to Appoint Constitutional Convention Delegates | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
April 22, 2013 | ND | HCR 3047 | Establishes a Commission of Higher Education | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21) |
April 22, 2013 | NV | SJR 13 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
April 17, 2013 | CT | HJR 36 | Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - House (90 - 49) |
April 16, 2013 | OR | SB 835 | Prohibits Horse Tripping in Rodeos | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
April 15, 2013 | IN | SB 224 | Establishes the Duties of Constitutional Convention Delegates | Bill Passed - House (64 - 28) |
April 15, 2013 | IN | SB 225 | Establishes Procedures to Appoint Constitutional Convention Delegates | Bill Passed - House (64 - 29) |
April 11, 2013 | IL | HJRCA 18 | Repeals the Position of Lieutenant Governor | Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 28) |
April 8, 2013 | MT | HB 30 | Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
April 4, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
April 4, 2013 | MO | HB 46 | Prohibits the Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Bill Passed - House (87 - 66) |
April 3, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - House (78 - 61) |
April 3, 2013 | CT | SB 1160 | Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (105 - 44) |
April 3, 2013 | CT | SB 1160 | Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
April 1, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (52 - 45) |
March 27, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
March 26, 2013 | KY | HB 279 | Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
March 26, 2013 | KY | HB 279 | Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities | Veto Override Passed - House (79 - 15) |
March 25, 2013 | IA | HF 527 | Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - House (79 - 18) |
March 23, 2013 | MT | HB 304 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
March 20, 2013 | OH | SB 47 | Prohibits Collection of Petition Signatures after Filing | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
March 20, 2013 | OH | SB 47 | Prohibits Collection of Petition Signatures after Filing | Bill Passed - House (57 - 38) |
March 19, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
March 19, 2013 | TX | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
March 13, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (51 - 44) |