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 13, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (51 - 44) |
| March 11, 2013 | KY | SB 1 | Establishes an Electronic Ballot Transmission System for Military and Overseas Voters | Bill Passed - House (57 - 42) |
| March 10, 2013 | NM | HCR 1 | Limits the Disclosure of Legislative Information | Bill Passed - House (48 - 16) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | IN | HB 1483 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | ND | HB 1385 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - House (19 - 72) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | MT | HB 304 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | AR | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Bill Passed - House (68 - 20) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | KY | HB 89 | Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | VA | SB 1256 | Requires Photo Identification for Voting | Bill Passed - House (65 - 34) |
| Feb. 18, 2013 | CO | HB 1229 | Requires Background Checks For Private Gun Sales and Transfers | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | MO | HB 48 | Requires Photo Identification for Voting | Bill Passed - House (105 - 48) |
| Feb. 1, 2013 | MT | HB 30 | Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (60 - 38) |
| Sept. 12, 2012 | National | HR 5949 | FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (301 - 118) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 29) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (231 - 112) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (232 - 110) |
| June 13, 2012 | PA | HB 2400 | Expands Wiretapping Authority | Bill Passed - House (145 - 52) |
| June 12, 2012 | MI | SB 803 | Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 43) |
| June 12, 2012 | MI | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (66 - 43) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
| May 31, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| May 18, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1127 | Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238) |
| April 30, 2012 | CT | HB 5024 | Authorizes Election Day Registration | Bill Passed - House (83 - 59) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/13 | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (51 - 44) |
| 3/11 | SB 1 | Establishes an Electronic Ballot Transmission System for Military and Overseas Voters | Bill Passed - House (57 - 42) |
| 3/10 | HCR 1 | Limits the Disclosure of Legislative Information | Bill Passed - House (48 - 16) |
| 2/25 | HB 1483 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| 2/22 | HB 1385 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - House (19 - 72) |
| 2/22 | HB 304 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| 2/21 | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Bill Passed - House (68 - 20) |
| 2/21 | HB 89 | Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| 2/20 | SB 1256 | Requires Photo Identification for Voting | Bill Passed - House (65 - 34) |
| 2/18 | HB 1229 | Requires Background Checks For Private Gun Sales and Transfers | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| 2/14 | HB 48 | Requires Photo Identification for Voting | Bill Passed - House (105 - 48) |
| 2/01 | HB 30 | Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (60 - 38) |
| 9/12 | HR 5949 | FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (301 - 118) |
| 8/27 | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 29) |
| 6/27 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (231 - 112) |
| 6/27 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (232 - 110) |
| 6/13 | HB 2400 | Expands Wiretapping Authority | Bill Passed - House (145 - 52) |
| 6/12 | SB 803 | Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 43) |
| 6/12 | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (66 - 43) |
| 6/06 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
| 6/06 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
| 5/31 | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
| 5/31 | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| 5/18 | H Amdt 1127 | Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238) |
| 4/30 | HB 5024 | Authorizes Election Day Registration | Bill Passed - House (83 - 59) |