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. 6, 2014 KY SB 1 Authorizes Legislature to Review Administrative Regulations Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 14)
Feb. 5, 2014 IL SB 1227 Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15)
Feb. 5, 2014 TN SJR 123 Requires Election of Attorney General Position Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14)
Feb. 4, 2014 National HR 2642 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 32)
Feb. 4, 2014 KY SB 58 Repeals the Office of the State Secretary of the Treasury Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Jan. 31, 2014 WA SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
Jan. 31, 2014 WA SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
Jan. 30, 2014 NH SB 217 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 13)
Jan. 23, 2014 IN SB 50 Prohibits the Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
Jan. 14, 2014 National S 1845 Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
Dec. 11, 2013 MI HB 4369 Expands the Education Achievement Authority Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
Dec. 3, 2013 IL SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24)
Dec. 3, 2013 IL SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24)
Nov. 21, 2013 National S 1197 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
Nov. 19, 2013 MA Amdt 1 Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
Nov. 19, 2013 MA S 1925 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
Nov. 12, 2013 HI SB 1 - HD 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 4)
Nov. 7, 2013 National S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32)
Nov. 7, 2013 National S Amdt 2013 Exempts Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
Nov. 5, 2013 IL SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21)
Nov. 5, 2013 WI AB 297 Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
Nov. 4, 2013 National S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30)
Oct. 30, 2013 MI SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Oct. 29, 2013 National S J Res 26 A Joint Resolution Relating to the Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit, as Submitted Under Section 1002(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 on October 17, 2013 Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/06 SB 1 Authorizes Legislature to Review Administrative Regulations Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 14)
2/05 SB 1227 Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15)
2/05 SJR 123 Requires Election of Attorney General Position Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14)
2/04 HR 2642 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 32)
2/04 SB 58 Repeals the Office of the State Secretary of the Treasury Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
1/31 SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
1/31 SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
1/30 SB 217 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 13)
1/23 SB 50 Prohibits the Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
1/14 S 1845 Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
12/11 HB 4369 Expands the Education Achievement Authority Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
12/03 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24)
12/03 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24)
11/21 S 1197 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
11/19 Amdt 1 Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
11/19 S 1925 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
11/12 SB 1 - HD 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 4)
11/07 S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32)
11/07 S Amdt 2013 Exempts Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
11/05 SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21)
11/05 AB 297 Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
11/04 S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30)
10/30 SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
10/29 S J Res 26 A Joint Resolution Relating to the Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit, as Submitted Under Section 1002(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 on October 17, 2013 Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)

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