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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | OH | HB 8 | Authorizes Certain Employees to Carry Concealed Firearms on School Property | Bill Passed - House (63 - 29) |
| Jan. 22, 2014 | VA | HB 1052 | Authorizes the Use of Alternative Methods of Execution | Bill Passed - House (64 - 32) |
| Jan. 15, 2014 | NH | HB 492 | Authorizes the Recreational Use of Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (170 - 162) |
| Jan. 15, 2014 | NH | HB 492 | Authorizes the Recreational Use of Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (170 - 162) |
| Jan. 15, 2014 | SC | H 3147 | Expands Workers' Compensation for Certain Injuries to Law Enforcement Officers | Bill Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| Dec. 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 521 | Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits | Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213) |
| Dec. 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 524 | Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue | Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266) |
| Dec. 5, 2013 | National | HR 3309 | Innovation Act | Bill Passed - House (325 - 91) |
| Nov. 14, 2013 | National | HR 2655 | Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 195) |
| Nov. 13, 2013 | National | HR 982 | Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (221 - 199) |
| Nov. 6, 2013 | MI | SB 652 | Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| Oct. 10, 2013 | National | H J Res 79 | Border Security and Enforcement Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| Sept. 18, 2013 | National | H Amdt 463 | Amends the Definition of "Strategic and Critical Minerals" | Amendment Rejected - House (187 - 241) |
| Sept. 18, 2013 | National | HR 761 | National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (246 - 178) |
| Sept. 12, 2013 | CA | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| Sept. 11, 2013 | MO | SB 9 | Amends Animal Abuse and Neglect Laws | Veto Override Passed - House (111 - 50) |
| Sept. 11, 2013 | MO | HB 436 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Veto Override Passed - House (109 - 49) |
| Sept. 11, 2013 | MO | SB 267 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws | Veto Override Failed - House (108 - 53) |
| Sept. 11, 2013 | MO | HB 436 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Veto Override Passed - House (109 - 49) |
| Sept. 11, 2013 | CA | AB 48 | Prohibits Large-Capacity Magazines and Large-Capacity Conversion Kits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30) |