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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |