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
May 29, 2013 CA SB 53 Requires Ammunition Purchasers to Undergo a Background Check Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
May 28, 2013 NV SB 165 Authorizes Film Tax Credits Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
May 24, 2013 CA SB 648 Prohibits the Use of Electronic Cigarettes in Certain Public Areas Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
May 23, 2013 OR HB 3409 Amends Hair Care Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
May 23, 2013 CT SB 387 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
May 22, 2013 OH HB 7 Prohibits Internet Cafes Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
May 22, 2013 RI S 256 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
May 20, 2013 CA SB 439 Exempts Certain Medical Marijuana Collectives and Cooperatives from Prosecution Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
May 17, 2013 IL HB 1 Authorizes the Use of Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 21)
May 15, 2013 OK SB 550 Repeals the Retail Sales Price Requirement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 16)
May 15, 2013 MN SF 778 Authorizes the Unionization of Family Child Care Providers Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 32)
May 8, 2013 MN HF 92 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 28)
May 8, 2013 CO HB 1318 Establishes Sales Taxes for Retail Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
May 8, 2013 MO HB 253 Authorizes Income Tax Cuts Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
May 6, 2013 National S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27)
May 6, 2013 NC SB 489 Amends the Consumer Finance Act Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
May 2, 2013 NH HB 443 Prohibits Contracts with Private Entities for Inmate Custody "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (13 - 11)
May 1, 2013 IL SB 1639 Requires Reimbursement for the Sale of Unhealthy Pets Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
April 30, 2013 AZ SB 1439 Authorizes the Use of Gold and Silver as Legal Tender Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
April 30, 2013 MI SB 197 Requires the State Prison Food Service To Seek Competitive Bids From Private Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
April 25, 2013 National S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30)
April 23, 2013 MT HB 297 Prohibits the Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21)
April 22, 2013 TX SB 1247 Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
April 22, 2013 TX SB 1247 Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
April 18, 2013 AR SB 1020 Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/29 SB 53 Requires Ammunition Purchasers to Undergo a Background Check Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
5/28 SB 165 Authorizes Film Tax Credits Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
5/24 SB 648 Prohibits the Use of Electronic Cigarettes in Certain Public Areas Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
5/23 HB 3409 Amends Hair Care Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
5/23 SB 387 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
5/22 HB 7 Prohibits Internet Cafes Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
5/22 S 256 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
5/20 SB 439 Exempts Certain Medical Marijuana Collectives and Cooperatives from Prosecution Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
5/17 HB 1 Authorizes the Use of Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 21)
5/15 SB 550 Repeals the Retail Sales Price Requirement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 16)
5/15 SF 778 Authorizes the Unionization of Family Child Care Providers Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 32)
5/08 HF 92 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 28)
5/08 HB 1318 Establishes Sales Taxes for Retail Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
5/08 HB 253 Authorizes Income Tax Cuts Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
5/06 S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27)
5/06 SB 489 Amends the Consumer Finance Act Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
5/02 HB 443 Prohibits Contracts with Private Entities for Inmate Custody "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (13 - 11)
5/01 SB 1639 Requires Reimbursement for the Sale of Unhealthy Pets Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
4/30 SB 1439 Authorizes the Use of Gold and Silver as Legal Tender Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
4/30 SB 197 Requires the State Prison Food Service To Seek Competitive Bids From Private Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
4/25 S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30)
4/23 HB 297 Prohibits the Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21)
4/22 SB 1247 Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
4/22 SB 1247 Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
4/18 SB 1020 Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 5)

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