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
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)

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