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
June 6, 2013 National HR 2217 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (245 - 182)
June 5, 2013 NC SB 306 Repeals the Racial Justice Act Bill Passed - House (77 - 39)
June 5, 2013 NC SB 306 Repeals the Racial Justice Act Bill Passed - House (77 - 39)
June 4, 2013 National H Amdt 84 Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254)
June 3, 2013 NV SB 221 Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms Bill Passed - House (23 - 19)
June 2, 2013 LA SB 162 Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12)
May 29, 2013 CA AB 48 Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
May 29, 2013 CA AB 375 Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements Bill Passed - House (64 - 11)
May 29, 2013 CA AB 48 Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
May 28, 2013 IL HB 1247 Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 48)
May 24, 2013 TX HB 950 Requires Equal Pay for Women Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 61)
May 22, 2013 TX SB 21 Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (104 - 42)
May 22, 2013 National H Amdt 69 Requires Threat Assessment of Pipeline Vulnerabilities to a Terrorist Attack Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 239)
May 22, 2013 National H Amdt 72 Increases Time to File a Claim Under the Northern Route Approval Act from 60 Days to 1 Year Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234)
May 21, 2013 KS HB 2162 Prohibits State Funds from Being Used to Lobby for Firearm Regulations Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 28)
May 20, 2013 NJ A 3796 Requires an Individual to Dispose of Unauthorized Firearms Within a Certain Time Period Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 24)
May 20, 2013 NJ A 3797 Requires Certain Firearm Information to be Collected and Reported Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
May 20, 2013 NJ A 3797 Requires Certain Firearm Information to be Collected and Reported Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
May 20, 2013 NV SB 243 Requires DNA Samples for Felonies Bill Passed - House (29 - 9)
May 20, 2013 NV SB 243 Requires DNA Samples for Felonies Bill Passed - House (29 - 9)
May 17, 2013 MO HB 533 Authorizes State Employees to Keep Firearms in Vehicles Concurrence Vote Passed - House (125 - 27)
May 16, 2013 CA AB 4 Prohibits Law Enforcement From Detaining Individuals Based Solely on Immigration Status Bill Passed - House (44 - 22)
May 15, 2013 MO HB 650 Limits Punitive Awards for Lead Exposure from Certain Mines Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 63)
May 15, 2013 AZ SB 1178 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - House (32 - 24)
May 14, 2013 NV SB 139 Classifies Crimes Based on Gender Identity or Expression as Felonies Bill Passed - House (30 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/06 HR 2217 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (245 - 182)
6/05 SB 306 Repeals the Racial Justice Act Bill Passed - House (77 - 39)
6/05 SB 306 Repeals the Racial Justice Act Bill Passed - House (77 - 39)
6/04 H Amdt 84 Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254)
6/03 SB 221 Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms Bill Passed - House (23 - 19)
6/02 SB 162 Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12)
5/29 AB 48 Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
5/29 AB 375 Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements Bill Passed - House (64 - 11)
5/29 AB 48 Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
5/28 HB 1247 Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 48)
5/24 HB 950 Requires Equal Pay for Women Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 61)
5/22 SB 21 Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (104 - 42)
5/22 H Amdt 69 Requires Threat Assessment of Pipeline Vulnerabilities to a Terrorist Attack Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 239)
5/22 H Amdt 72 Increases Time to File a Claim Under the Northern Route Approval Act from 60 Days to 1 Year Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234)
5/21 HB 2162 Prohibits State Funds from Being Used to Lobby for Firearm Regulations Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 28)
5/20 A 3796 Requires an Individual to Dispose of Unauthorized Firearms Within a Certain Time Period Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 24)
5/20 A 3797 Requires Certain Firearm Information to be Collected and Reported Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
5/20 A 3797 Requires Certain Firearm Information to be Collected and Reported Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
5/20 SB 243 Requires DNA Samples for Felonies Bill Passed - House (29 - 9)
5/20 SB 243 Requires DNA Samples for Felonies Bill Passed - House (29 - 9)
5/17 HB 533 Authorizes State Employees to Keep Firearms in Vehicles Concurrence Vote Passed - House (125 - 27)
5/16 AB 4 Prohibits Law Enforcement From Detaining Individuals Based Solely on Immigration Status Bill Passed - House (44 - 22)
5/15 HB 650 Limits Punitive Awards for Lead Exposure from Certain Mines Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 63)
5/15 SB 1178 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - House (32 - 24)
5/14 SB 139 Classifies Crimes Based on Gender Identity or Expression as Felonies Bill Passed - House (30 - 11)

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