Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Aug. 2, 2013 National H Amdt 450 Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 185)
Aug. 2, 2013 National HR 367 Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (232 - 183)
Aug. 2, 2013 National HR 2009 Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (232 - 185)
Aug. 1, 2013 National HR 1582 Energy Consumers Relief Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (232 - 181)
June 21, 2013 TX SB 3 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (93 - 46)
June 21, 2013 TX SB 2 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (109 - 30)
June 21, 2013 TX SB 4 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (93 - 47)
June 13, 2013 AZ HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24)
June 2, 2013 NV SJR 8 Establishes Annual Legislative Sessions Bill Passed - House (23 - 18)
May 17, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62)
May 15, 2013 TX SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80)
May 8, 2013 NC HB 9 Establishes Term Limits for House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tempore Amendment Adopted - House (85 - 34)
April 30, 2013 ME LD 134 Reduces Size of State Legislature "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (113 - 30)
April 9, 2013 AR HJR 1009 Amends Campaign Contribution Laws Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 12)
March 7, 2013 MO HJR 4 Increases Representative Term Limits Joint Resolution Passed - House (121 - 31)
March 6, 2013 WI SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - House (59 - 37)
March 6, 2013 KY HB 2 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
March 1, 2013 KS HB 2019 Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals Bill Passed - House (73 - 50)
Feb. 15, 2013 National HR 273 Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees Bill Passed - House (261 - 154)
Feb. 14, 2013 NJ AR 91 Extends the Term of a Special Committee Investigating the Finances of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Resolution Passed - House (46 - 29)
Feb. 6, 2013 NH CACR1 Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149)
Jan. 28, 2013 NJ A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
Jan. 23, 2013 National HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (285 - 144)
Jan. 1, 2013 National HR 6726 Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act Bill Passed - House (287 - 129)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
Dec. 3, 2012 NJ A 2166 Requires Legislative Approval of Port Authority Minutes Bill Passed - House (44 - 31)
Sept. 14, 2012 National HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
July 31, 2012 National S 679 Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (261 - 116)
July 31, 2012 National HR 828 Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (263 - 114)
June 27, 2012 NH HB 1666 Requires Legislative Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreements Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 124)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132)
June 6, 2012 NH HB 1666 Requires Legislative Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreements Conference Report Adopted - House (203 - 77)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Rejected - House (224 - 144)
May 24, 2012 AL SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (65 - 36)
May 21, 2012 AL HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (66 - 35)
May 17, 2012 DE SB 185 Requires Lobbyists to Report Their Activities in the Legislature Bill Passed - House (26 - 12)
May 10, 2012 KS SB 102 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (67 - 50)
May 3, 2012 MS JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (70 - 50)
April 26, 2012 MS JR 1 State House Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 50)
April 11, 2012 NH SB 202 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (239 - 95)
April 4, 2012 PA HB 153 Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly Bill Passed - House (140 - 49)
March 28, 2012 NH HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112)
March 27, 2012 FL SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 47)
March 26, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
March 22, 2012 ID HJR 1 Requires a 2/3 Vote for Tax Increases Motion Rejected - House (37 - 33)
March 14, 2012 NY A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (98 - 44)
Feb. 28, 2012 CO HB 1115 Authorizes Businesses to Comment on Fiscal Impact of Proposed Legislation Bill Passed - House (41 - 22)
Feb. 17, 2012 WY HB 32 State House and Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (49 - 9)
Feb. 15, 2012 NH HB 1666 Limits State Contribution to Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - House (232 - 119)
Feb. 15, 2012 CO HB 1301 Authorizes Legislative Appropriations Bill Passed - House (34 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/02 H Amdt 450 Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 185)
8/02 HR 367 Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (232 - 183)
8/02 HR 2009 Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (232 - 185)
8/01 HR 1582 Energy Consumers Relief Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (232 - 181)
6/21 SB 3 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (93 - 46)
6/21 SB 2 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (109 - 30)
6/21 SB 4 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (93 - 47)
6/13 HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24)
6/02 SJR 8 Establishes Annual Legislative Sessions Bill Passed - House (23 - 18)
5/17 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62)
5/15 SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80)
5/08 HB 9 Establishes Term Limits for House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tempore Amendment Adopted - House (85 - 34)
4/30 LD 134 Reduces Size of State Legislature "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (113 - 30)
4/09 HJR 1009 Amends Campaign Contribution Laws Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 12)
3/07 HJR 4 Increases Representative Term Limits Joint Resolution Passed - House (121 - 31)
3/06 SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - House (59 - 37)
3/06 HB 2 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
3/01 HB 2019 Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals Bill Passed - House (73 - 50)
2/15 HR 273 Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees Bill Passed - House (261 - 154)
2/14 AR 91 Extends the Term of a Special Committee Investigating the Finances of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Resolution Passed - House (46 - 29)
2/06 CACR1 Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149)
1/28 A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
1/23 HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (285 - 144)
1/01 HR 6726 Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act Bill Passed - House (287 - 129)
12/20 HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
12/03 A 2166 Requires Legislative Approval of Port Authority Minutes Bill Passed - House (44 - 31)
9/14 HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
7/31 S 679 Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (261 - 116)
7/31 HR 828 Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (263 - 114)
6/27 HB 1666 Requires Legislative Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreements Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 124)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132)
6/06 HB 1666 Requires Legislative Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreements Conference Report Adopted - House (203 - 77)
6/06 CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Rejected - House (224 - 144)
5/24 SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (65 - 36)
5/21 HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (66 - 35)
5/17 SB 185 Requires Lobbyists to Report Their Activities in the Legislature Bill Passed - House (26 - 12)
5/10 SB 102 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (67 - 50)
5/03 JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (70 - 50)
4/26 JR 1 State House Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 50)
4/11 SB 202 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (239 - 95)
4/04 HB 153 Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly Bill Passed - House (140 - 49)
3/28 HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112)
3/27 SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 47)
3/26 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
3/22 HJR 1 Requires a 2/3 Vote for Tax Increases Motion Rejected - House (37 - 33)
3/14 A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (98 - 44)
2/28 HB 1115 Authorizes Businesses to Comment on Fiscal Impact of Proposed Legislation Bill Passed - House (41 - 22)
2/17 HB 32 State House and Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (49 - 9)
2/15 HB 1666 Limits State Contribution to Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - House (232 - 119)
2/15 HB 1301 Authorizes Legislative Appropriations Bill Passed - House (34 - 28)

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