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, 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)
Jan. 31, 2013 National HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34)
Jan. 31, 2013 WY SF 131 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
Jan. 30, 2013 KS SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Jan. 30, 2013 KS SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Jan. 30, 2013 KS SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Jan. 29, 2013 WI SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
Jan. 29, 2013 WI SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
Jan. 25, 2013 WY SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Dec. 21, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
Dec. 6, 2012 MI HB 4003 Limits Labor Organization Activities: Public Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
Dec. 6, 2012 MI SB 116 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Dec. 4, 2012 IL SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
Nov. 30, 2012 National S Amdt 3025 Requires Sufficient Sizing of Civilian and Contract Services Workforces Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 53)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3058 Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29)
Nov. 29, 2012 NJ S 2241 Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
Sept. 22, 2012 National H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
Aug. 22, 2012 CA AB 2109 Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
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)
1/31 HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34)
1/31 SF 131 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
1/30 SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
1/30 SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
1/30 SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
1/29 SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
1/29 SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
1/25 SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
12/21 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
12/06 HB 4003 Limits Labor Organization Activities: Public Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
12/06 SB 116 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
12/04 SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
11/30 S Amdt 3025 Requires Sufficient Sizing of Civilian and Contract Services Workforces Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 53)
11/29 S Amdt 3058 Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29)
11/29 S 2241 Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
10/25 S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
10/25 S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
9/22 H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
8/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/29 SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
8/29 AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
8/22 AB 2109 Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)

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