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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - House (77 - 39) |
| June 4, 2013 | LA | SB 188 | Increases Judicial Pay | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| June 3, 2013 | LA | SB 188 | Increases Judicial Pay | Bill Passed - House (79 - 18) |
| June 3, 2013 | LA | SB 153 | Requires Equal Pay for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (86 - 12) |
| June 3, 2013 | LA | SB 5 | Repeals Mandatory Retirement Age for Judges | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 33) |
| June 3, 2013 | LA | SB 5 | Repeals Mandatory Retirement Age for Judges | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 33) |
| June 2, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12) |
| June 2, 2013 | NV | SJR 8 | Establishes Annual Legislative Sessions | Bill Passed - House (23 - 18) |
| May 30, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
| May 30, 2013 | WA | HB 2064 | Amends Estate Tax Laws | Bill Passed - House (51 - 40) |
| May 29, 2013 | CT | HB 6495 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| May 29, 2013 | CA | SB 323 | Prohibits Tax-Exempt Status for Organizations that Discriminate Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| May 29, 2013 | CA | AB 60 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| May 27, 2013 | NV | SB 303 | Authorizes Driver Authorization Cards for Non-Citizens | Bill Passed - House (30 - 9) |
| May 24, 2013 | TX | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 61) |
| May 23, 2013 | NV | SJR 13 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - House (27 - 14) |
| May 23, 2013 | CA | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| May 22, 2013 | TX | SB 21 | Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (104 - 42) |
| May 22, 2013 | TX | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| May 22, 2013 | National | H Amdt 67 | Requires a Finding be Added Concerning Oil Sand Crudes | Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 269) |
| May 22, 2013 | CT | HB 6495 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (74 - 55) |
| May 22, 2013 | LA | SB 153 | Requires Equal Pay for State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 20, 2013 | MN | SF 778 | Authorizes the Unionization of Family Child Care Providers | Bill Passed - House (68 - 66) |
| May 19, 2013 | MN | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |
| May 19, 2013 | MN | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/05 | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - House (77 - 39) |
| 6/04 | SB 188 | Increases Judicial Pay | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| 6/03 | SB 188 | Increases Judicial Pay | Bill Passed - House (79 - 18) |
| 6/03 | SB 153 | Requires Equal Pay for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (86 - 12) |
| 6/03 | SB 5 | Repeals Mandatory Retirement Age for Judges | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 33) |
| 6/03 | SB 5 | Repeals Mandatory Retirement Age for Judges | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 33) |
| 6/02 | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12) |
| 6/02 | SJR 8 | Establishes Annual Legislative Sessions | Bill Passed - House (23 - 18) |
| 5/30 | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 5/30 | HB 2064 | Amends Estate Tax Laws | Bill Passed - House (51 - 40) |
| 5/29 | HB 6495 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 5/29 | SB 323 | Prohibits Tax-Exempt Status for Organizations that Discriminate Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 5/29 | AB 60 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| 5/27 | SB 303 | Authorizes Driver Authorization Cards for Non-Citizens | Bill Passed - House (30 - 9) |
| 5/24 | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 61) |
| 5/23 | SJR 13 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - House (27 - 14) |
| 5/23 | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| 5/22 | SB 21 | Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (104 - 42) |
| 5/22 | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 5/22 | H Amdt 67 | Requires a Finding be Added Concerning Oil Sand Crudes | Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 269) |
| 5/22 | HB 6495 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (74 - 55) |
| 5/22 | SB 153 | Requires Equal Pay for State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/20 | SF 778 | Authorizes the Unionization of Family Child Care Providers | Bill Passed - House (68 - 66) |
| 5/19 | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |
| 5/19 | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |