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 12, 2014 | SD | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Veto Override Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| March 4, 2014 | WI | SB 1 | Reduces State Income Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Feb. 28, 2014 | CO | SB 29 | Requires Paint Manufacturers to Establish Recycling Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | OK | SB 1246 | Amends State Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 10) |
| Feb. 24, 2014 | GA | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | NM | SB 347 | Appropriates Funds to the Lottery Tuition Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11) |
| Feb. 16, 2014 | NM | SB 263 | Increases the Liquor Excise Tax Rate | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
| Feb. 10, 2014 | SD | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | IL | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | IN | SB 1 | Amends State Business Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| Dec. 18, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| Sept. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| July 24, 2013 | National | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| July 2, 2013 | OR | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| June 13, 2013 | WA | HB 2075 | Repeals Marital Trust Estate Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| June 5, 2013 | CT | HB 5277 | Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| May 30, 2013 | OH | SB 67 | Prohibits JobsOhio Liquor Leases from Being Publicly Audited | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| May 29, 2013 | CA | SB 323 | Prohibits Tax-Exempt Status for Organizations that Discriminate Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| May 28, 2013 | NV | SB 165 | Authorizes Film Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| May 20, 2013 | MN | HF 677 | Amends State Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 30) |
| May 8, 2013 | MO | HB 253 | Authorizes Income Tax Cuts | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| May 8, 2013 | CO | HB 1318 | Establishes Sales Taxes for Retail Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| May 6, 2013 | National | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27) |
| May 1, 2013 | IL | SB 1739 | Expands State Casino Development | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20) |
| April 27, 2013 | IN | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/12 | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Veto Override Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| 3/04 | SB 1 | Reduces State Income Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 2/28 | SB 29 | Requires Paint Manufacturers to Establish Recycling Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/27 | SB 1246 | Amends State Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 10) |
| 2/24 | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| 2/18 | SB 347 | Appropriates Funds to the Lottery Tuition Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11) |
| 2/16 | SB 263 | Increases the Liquor Excise Tax Rate | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
| 2/10 | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/05 | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 1/30 | SB 1 | Amends State Business Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| 12/18 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| 9/30 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| 7/24 | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 7/02 | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| 6/13 | HB 2075 | Repeals Marital Trust Estate Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 6/05 | HB 5277 | Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 5/30 | SB 67 | Prohibits JobsOhio Liquor Leases from Being Publicly Audited | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 5/29 | SB 323 | Prohibits Tax-Exempt Status for Organizations that Discriminate Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 5/28 | SB 165 | Authorizes Film Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| 5/20 | HF 677 | Amends State Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 30) |
| 5/08 | HB 253 | Authorizes Income Tax Cuts | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 5/08 | HB 1318 | Establishes Sales Taxes for Retail Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 5/06 | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27) |
| 5/01 | SB 1739 | Expands State Casino Development | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20) |
| 4/27 | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 11) |