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
March 7, 2013 AL SB 41 Amends Employment Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
Feb. 28, 2013 KS SB 149 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
Feb. 28, 2013 KS SB 142 Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
Feb. 27, 2013 OK SB 1062 Amends State Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12)
Feb. 26, 2013 NC SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16)
Feb. 26, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 41)
Feb. 26, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (71 - 27)
Feb. 26, 2013 IN SB 213 Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
Feb. 26, 2013 IN SB 207 Authorizes Certain Undocumented Students to Receive In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
Feb. 25, 2013 CO SB 33 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 20, 2013 MT SB 107 Amends Sexual Conduct Laws Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 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 IL SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21)
Feb. 14, 2013 ND SB 2252 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 26)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/07 SB 41 Amends Employment Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
2/28 SB 149 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
2/28 SB 142 Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
2/27 SB 1062 Amends State Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12)
2/26 SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16)
2/26 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 41)
2/26 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (71 - 27)
2/26 SB 213 Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
2/26 SB 207 Authorizes Certain Undocumented Students to Receive In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
2/25 SB 33 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/22 SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
2/22 SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
2/22 SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/22 SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/20 SB 107 Amends Sexual Conduct Laws Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11)
2/14 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40)
2/14 SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21)
2/14 SB 2252 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 26)
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)

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