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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 20, 2014 AZ SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - House (33 - 27)
Feb. 19, 2014 AZ SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Aug. 26, 2014 CA AB 1327 Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
May 22, 2014 IL SJRCA 75 Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
Feb. 17, 2014 IN HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
Jan. 28, 2014 IN HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40)
Dec. 4, 2014 MI HB 5958 Prohibits Government from Burdening an Individual's Exercise of Religion Bill Passed - House (59 - 50)
Nov. 18, 2014 National S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
May 30, 2014 National H Amdt 763 Prohibits Funds from Being Used to Require Journalists to Disclose Sources Amendment Adopted - House (225 - 183)
Jan. 27, 2014 NY A 8070 Requires Equal Pay Bill Passed - House (88 - 43)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/20 SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - House (33 - 27)
2/19 SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
8/26 AB 1327 Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
5/22 SJRCA 75 Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
2/17 HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
1/28 HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40)
12/04 HB 5958 Prohibits Government from Burdening an Individual's Exercise of Religion Bill Passed - House (59 - 50)
11/18 S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
5/30 H Amdt 763 Prohibits Funds from Being Used to Require Journalists to Disclose Sources Amendment Adopted - House (225 - 183)
1/27 A 8070 Requires Equal Pay Bill Passed - House (88 - 43)

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