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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 14, 2014 | ID | S 1337 | Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | KS | HB 2389 | Establishes Time Limits on Death Penalty Appeals Process | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | KS | HB 2389 | Establishes Time Limits on Death Penalty Appeals Process | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | MS | H Amdt 1 | Exempts Pregnancies that Result from Rape or Incest from 20 Week Abortion Prohibition | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | TN | SB 1496 | Authorizes Certain Individuals to Carry a Handgun in Public Parks | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | MI | SB 319 | Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | WI | AB 161 | Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | IA | HF 2175 | Prohibits Webcam Abortions | Bill Passed - House (55 - 42) |
| Feb. 6, 2014 | MD | SB 263 | Amends Baltimore's Needle and Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6) |
| Feb. 6, 2014 | SD | HB 1185 | Authorizes Certain Nonresidents to Obtain Waterfowl Hunting Licenses | Bill Passed - House (36 - 32) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | KY | SB 8 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | TN | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | MI | SB 319 | Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Bill Passed - House (62 - 48) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | NE | LB 399 | Authorizes Crime Prevention Vehicles to Use Amber Lights | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (32 - 12) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | IN | SB 404 | Establishes Regulations for High-Fence Hunting Preserves | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| Feb. 3, 2014 | VA | HB 706 | Authorizes Legislators to Hire Counsel to Represent Virginia in Court | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | CA | SB 383 | Authorizes Businesses to Collect Certain Cardholder Information in Online Transactions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Jan. 29, 2014 | IN | HB 1205 | Establishes Civil Proceeding Advance Payment Transactions | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | VA | HB 1237 | Authorizes Hunting on Sundays | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | SB 229 | Amends Firearm Buy-Back Program Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HB 1351 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (71 - 22) |
| Jan. 27, 2014 | NY | A 8070 | Requires Equal Pay | Bill Passed - House (88 - 43) |
| Jan. 23, 2014 | SC | SB 308 | Authorizes Carrying Concealed Weapons into Businesses that Serve Alcohol | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (90 - 18) |
| Jan. 22, 2014 | VA | HB 1052 | Authorizes the Use of Alternative Methods of Execution | Bill Passed - House (64 - 32) |