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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 6, 2013 | ID | S 1117 | Authorizes Permits for Heavy Trucks on Certain Routes | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| March 4, 2013 | NM | SB 416 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | IL | SB 26 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | WI | SB 1 | Amends Wisconsin's Iron-Ore Mining Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | OK | SB 375 | Authorizes the International Sale of Horse Meat for Human Consumption | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | AK | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | AK | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | MN | HF 9 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | KY | SB 50 | Authorizes Industrial Hemp Farming | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | KY | SB 88 | Repeals Regulations on Telephone Utility Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | IL | SB 622 | Increases Physician License Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19) |
| Feb. 9, 2013 | MT | SB 96 | Reduces Business Equipment Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| Feb. 7, 2013 | NJ | SCR 1 | Increases Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Nov. 29, 2012 | NJ | A 2162 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Nov. 29, 2012 | NJ | S 2241 | Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| Nov. 29, 2012 | NJ | SCR 1 | Increases Minimum Wage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | AB 2327 | Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| July 19, 2012 | National | S 3364 | Bring Jobs Home Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| July 12, 2012 | National | S 2237 | Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| July 2, 2012 | CA | SB 900 | Establishes Regulations for Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| July 2, 2012 | CA | AB 278 | Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| June 11, 2012 | RI | H 7323 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| June 7, 2012 | RI | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 5440 | Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/06 | S 1117 | Authorizes Permits for Heavy Trucks on Certain Routes | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 3/04 | SB 416 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17) |
| 2/28 | SB 26 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| 2/27 | SB 1 | Amends Wisconsin's Iron-Ore Mining Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/20 | SB 375 | Authorizes the International Sale of Horse Meat for Human Consumption | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6) |
| 2/19 | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| 2/19 | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| 2/14 | HF 9 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22) |
| 2/14 | SB 50 | Authorizes Industrial Hemp Farming | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 2/14 | SB 88 | Repeals Regulations on Telephone Utility Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 2/14 | SB 622 | Increases Physician License Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19) |
| 2/09 | SB 96 | Reduces Business Equipment Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| 2/07 | SCR 1 | Increases Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 11/29 | A 2162 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 11/29 | S 2241 | Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 11/29 | SCR 1 | Increases Minimum Wage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 8/22 | AB 2327 | Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 7/19 | S 3364 | Bring Jobs Home Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| 7/12 | S 2237 | Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| 7/02 | SB 900 | Establishes Regulations for Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 7/02 | AB 278 | Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 6/11 | H 7323 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 6/07 | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 5/31 | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
| 5/31 | HB 5440 | Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |