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. 15, 2013 UT HB 50 Expands Protective Orders to Dating Relationships Bill Passed - House (61 - 11)
Feb. 15, 2013 UT HB 50 Expands Protective Orders to Dating Relationships Bill Passed - House (61 - 11)
Feb. 14, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40)
Feb. 14, 2013 NJ AR 91 Extends the Term of a Special Committee Investigating the Finances of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Resolution Passed - House (46 - 29)
Feb. 14, 2013 KY HB 131 Authorizes Immigrants to Remain Enrolled in High School up to Age 23 Bill Passed - House (71 - 26)
Feb. 14, 2013 ID H 88 Expands Tax Credit for New Employees Bill Passed - House (62 - 7)
Feb. 14, 2013 ND SB 2252 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 26)
Feb. 14, 2013 IL SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21)
Feb. 13, 2013 KY SB 9 Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 13, 2013 KY SB 9 Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 12, 2013 National S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
Feb. 12, 2013 National S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
Feb. 12, 2013 National S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
Feb. 12, 2013 National S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
Feb. 11, 2013 CO SB 11 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Feb. 7, 2013 MT HB 239 Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
Feb. 6, 2013 NH CACR1 Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149)
Feb. 6, 2013 SD SB 107 Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Feb. 5, 2013 CO SB 25 Authorizes Statewide Firefighter Labor Organizations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
Feb. 4, 2013 VA SB 721 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)
Feb. 4, 2013 UT HB 274 Establishes a Tax Credit for Employing a Homeless Individual Bill Passed - House (41 - 33)
Jan. 31, 2013 SD SB 70 Establishes Alternative Court Programs for Nonviolent Offenders Bill Passed - House (63 - 7)
Jan. 31, 2013 National HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34)
Jan. 31, 2013 KS HB 2023 Prohibits Manditory Labor Organizational Fees for Political Purposes Bill Passed - House (68 - 56)
Jan. 31, 2013 WY SF 131 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/15 HB 50 Expands Protective Orders to Dating Relationships Bill Passed - House (61 - 11)
2/15 HB 50 Expands Protective Orders to Dating Relationships Bill Passed - House (61 - 11)
2/14 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40)
2/14 AR 91 Extends the Term of a Special Committee Investigating the Finances of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Resolution Passed - House (46 - 29)
2/14 HB 131 Authorizes Immigrants to Remain Enrolled in High School up to Age 23 Bill Passed - House (71 - 26)
2/14 H 88 Expands Tax Credit for New Employees Bill Passed - House (62 - 7)
2/14 SB 2252 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 26)
2/14 SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21)
2/13 SB 9 Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/13 SB 9 Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/12 S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
2/12 S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
2/12 S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
2/12 S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
2/11 SB 11 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
2/07 HB 239 Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
2/06 CACR1 Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149)
2/06 SB 107 Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
2/05 SB 25 Authorizes Statewide Firefighter Labor Organizations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
2/04 SB 721 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)
2/04 HB 274 Establishes a Tax Credit for Employing a Homeless Individual Bill Passed - House (41 - 33)
1/31 SB 70 Establishes Alternative Court Programs for Nonviolent Offenders Bill Passed - House (63 - 7)
1/31 HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34)
1/31 HB 2023 Prohibits Manditory Labor Organizational Fees for Political Purposes Bill Passed - House (68 - 56)
1/31 SF 131 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)

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