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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 16, 2013 | MO | SB 112 | Extends the New Markets Tax Credit Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| April 16, 2013 | TN | SB 1248 | Requires Disclosure of Photographic Evidence of Animal Abuse | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| April 14, 2013 | AK | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (12 - 8) |
| April 10, 2013 | AR | HB 1536 | Authorizes Sale of Unpasteurized Whole Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| April 10, 2013 | TX | SB 1467 | Requires Facilitation of Expansion of Firearms Manufacturers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| April 9, 2013 | WI | AB 15 | Authorizes Work-Share Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 4, 2013 | MO | SB 126 | Prohibits Pharmacies from Being Required to Carry Specific Drugs | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| April 3, 2013 | CT | SB 1160 | Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| April 2, 2013 | KS | HB 2055 | Reduces Casino Building Fee | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 24) |
| March 27, 2013 | MD | SB 274 | Expands Medicaid Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| March 26, 2013 | KY | SB 13 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Election Days | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| March 26, 2013 | IN | HB 1293 | Establishes Micro-Distiller Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| March 26, 2013 | OK | HB 1999 | Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| March 26, 2013 | OK | HB 1999 | Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| March 26, 2013 | KS | SB 72 | Exempts Health Clubs From Property Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| March 25, 2013 | IA | SF 296 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 23, 2013 | National | S Amdt 139 | Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
| March 21, 2013 | ID | H 248 | Establishes Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 21, 2013 | AK | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| March 15, 2013 | CO | HB 1229 | Requires Background Checks for Private Gun Sales and Transfers | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14) |
| March 14, 2013 | KS | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| March 13, 2013 | NC | SB 81 | Establishes the Charlotte Regional Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| March 12, 2013 | MO | SB 26 | Amends State Tax Code | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 11, 2013 | CO | HB 1228 | Establishes a Background Check Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| March 7, 2013 | MN | HF 5 | Establishes the Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 28) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/16 | SB 112 | Extends the New Markets Tax Credit Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 4/16 | SB 1248 | Requires Disclosure of Photographic Evidence of Animal Abuse | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 4/14 | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (12 - 8) |
| 4/10 | HB 1536 | Authorizes Sale of Unpasteurized Whole Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 4/10 | SB 1467 | Requires Facilitation of Expansion of Firearms Manufacturers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 4/09 | AB 15 | Authorizes Work-Share Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/04 | SB 126 | Prohibits Pharmacies from Being Required to Carry Specific Drugs | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 4/03 | SB 1160 | Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| 4/02 | HB 2055 | Reduces Casino Building Fee | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 24) |
| 3/27 | SB 274 | Expands Medicaid Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| 3/26 | SB 13 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Election Days | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 3/26 | HB 1293 | Establishes Micro-Distiller Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| 3/26 | HB 1999 | Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| 3/26 | HB 1999 | Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| 3/26 | SB 72 | Exempts Health Clubs From Property Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 3/25 | SF 296 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 3/23 | S Amdt 139 | Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 3/21 | H 248 | Establishes Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/21 | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 3/15 | HB 1229 | Requires Background Checks for Private Gun Sales and Transfers | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 3/14 | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 3/13 | SB 81 | Establishes the Charlotte Regional Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 3/12 | SB 26 | Amends State Tax Code | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/11 | HB 1228 | Establishes a Background Check Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 3/07 | HF 5 | Establishes the Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 28) |