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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 22, 2013 | ND | HB 1373 | Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Bill Passed - House (60 - 31) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | VA | HB 1907 | Increases Fines for Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | SD | SB 142 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | KY | SB 88 | Repeals Regulations on Telephone Utility Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2013 | ID | HB 55 | Authorizes Telecommunications Businesses to Solicit Existing Customers | Bill Passed - House (65 - 5) |
| Feb. 6, 2013 | SD | SB 106 | Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| Jan. 30, 2013 | SD | HB 1113 | Requires Certain State Electronic Exchanges to Be Made Public | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| Jan. 28, 2013 | SD | HB 1108 | Exempts Certain Advisory Bodies From Providing Telephone or Internet Access | Bill Passed - House (63 - 5) |
| Dec. 28, 2012 | National | HR 5949 | FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23) |
| Dec. 17, 2012 | NJ | S 581 | Establishes Tax Credits for Investors in Small Business Technology | Bill Passed - House (47 - 30) |
| Dec. 17, 2012 | NJ | A 2578 | Authorizes Internet Gaming at Atlantic City Casinos | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| Dec. 14, 2012 | MI | SB 756 | Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (74 - 33) |
| Dec. 5, 2012 | OH | HB 605 | Prohibits Gambling In Internet Cafes | Bill Passed - House (63 - 30) |
| Nov. 30, 2012 | National | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 139) |
| Nov. 30, 2012 | National | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 139) |
| Nov. 14, 2012 | National | S 3414 | Cybersecurity Act of 2012 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
| Oct. 18, 2012 | NJ | A 2870 | Establishes Online Vote Registration | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| Oct. 17, 2012 | PA | HB 815 | Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| Sept. 20, 2012 | National | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Failed - House (257 - 158) |
| Sept. 20, 2012 | National | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Failed - House (257 - 158) |
| Sept. 12, 2012 | National | HR 5949 | FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (301 - 118) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| Aug. 2, 2012 | National | S 3414 | Cybersecurity Act of 2012 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46) |
| June 30, 2012 | PA | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 72) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/22 | HB 1373 | Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Bill Passed - House (60 - 31) |
| 2/19 | HB 1907 | Increases Fines for Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| 2/19 | SB 142 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 2/14 | SB 88 | Repeals Regulations on Telephone Utility Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 2/13 | HB 55 | Authorizes Telecommunications Businesses to Solicit Existing Customers | Bill Passed - House (65 - 5) |
| 2/06 | SB 106 | Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 1/30 | HB 1113 | Requires Certain State Electronic Exchanges to Be Made Public | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| 1/28 | HB 1108 | Exempts Certain Advisory Bodies From Providing Telephone or Internet Access | Bill Passed - House (63 - 5) |
| 12/28 | HR 5949 | FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23) |
| 12/17 | S 581 | Establishes Tax Credits for Investors in Small Business Technology | Bill Passed - House (47 - 30) |
| 12/17 | A 2578 | Authorizes Internet Gaming at Atlantic City Casinos | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| 12/14 | SB 756 | Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (74 - 33) |
| 12/05 | HB 605 | Prohibits Gambling In Internet Cafes | Bill Passed - House (63 - 30) |
| 11/30 | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 139) |
| 11/30 | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 139) |
| 11/14 | S 3414 | Cybersecurity Act of 2012 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
| 10/18 | A 2870 | Establishes Online Vote Registration | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| 10/17 | HB 815 | Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| 9/20 | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Failed - House (257 - 158) |
| 9/20 | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Failed - House (257 - 158) |
| 9/12 | HR 5949 | FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (301 - 118) |
| 8/27 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 8/22 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| 8/02 | S 3414 | Cybersecurity Act of 2012 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46) |
| 6/30 | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 72) |