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. 18, 2014 WV SB 6 Prohibits Sale of Medicines Containing Pseudoephedrine without Prescription Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
Feb. 14, 2014 NM SJR 13 Increases the Minimum Wage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 17)
Feb. 11, 2014 AL SB 168 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
Feb. 11, 2014 VA SB 590 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 5, 2014 MD SB 75 Prohibits the Sale of Alcoholic Products with Alcohol Content Above 95 Percent Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 10)
Feb. 4, 2014 IN SB 404 Establishes Regulations for High-Fence Hunting Preserves Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 23)
Feb. 4, 2014 IN SB 91 Repeals Common Core Standards Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
Feb. 3, 2014 IN SB 340 Amends Customer Participation Requirements in Certain Energy Efficiency Programs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
Jan. 30, 2014 CA SB 383 Authorizes Businesses to Collect Certain Cardholder Information in Online Transactions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Dec. 12, 2013 MI SB 660 Authorizes the Growth and Sale of Pharmaceutical-Grade Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
Dec. 11, 2013 MI HB 4369 Expands the Education Achievement Authority Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
Dec. 11, 2013 MI Initiation of Legislation Requires Abortion Coverage To Be Optional In Health Care Plans Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
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. 13, 2013 MI SB 660 Authorizes the Growth and Sale of Pharmaceutical-Grade Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
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. 4, 2013 National S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30)
July 25, 2013 NC HB 938 Amends Wetland Permit Laws Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15)
July 24, 2013 National HR 1911 Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
July 24, 2013 National S Amdt 1778 Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
July 18, 2013 NC SB 81 Establishes the Charlotte International Airport Authority Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
June 27, 2013 NJ S 2723 Amends Firearms Identification Card Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
June 5, 2013 CT HB 5277 Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
June 4, 2013 OR SB 692 Requires Certain Electronics to Meet Energy Efficiency Standards Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/18 SB 6 Prohibits Sale of Medicines Containing Pseudoephedrine without Prescription Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
2/14 SJR 13 Increases the Minimum Wage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 17)
2/11 SB 168 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
2/11 SB 590 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/05 SB 75 Prohibits the Sale of Alcoholic Products with Alcohol Content Above 95 Percent Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 10)
2/04 SB 404 Establishes Regulations for High-Fence Hunting Preserves Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 23)
2/04 SB 91 Repeals Common Core Standards Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
2/03 SB 340 Amends Customer Participation Requirements in Certain Energy Efficiency Programs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
1/30 SB 383 Authorizes Businesses to Collect Certain Cardholder Information in Online Transactions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
12/12 SB 660 Authorizes the Growth and Sale of Pharmaceutical-Grade Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
12/11 HB 4369 Expands the Education Achievement Authority Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
12/11 Initiation of Legislation Requires Abortion Coverage To Be Optional In Health Care Plans Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
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)
11/13 SB 660 Authorizes the Growth and Sale of Pharmaceutical-Grade Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
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)
11/04 S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30)
7/25 HB 938 Amends Wetland Permit Laws Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15)
7/24 HR 1911 Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
7/24 S Amdt 1778 Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
7/18 SB 81 Establishes the Charlotte International Airport Authority Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
6/27 S 2723 Amends Firearms Identification Card Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
6/05 HB 5277 Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
6/04 SB 692 Requires Certain Electronics to Meet Energy Efficiency Standards Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)

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