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
March 20, 2014 IL AM 121 Nomination of Salvador A. Godinez to be Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections Nomination Confirmed - Senate (37 - 18)
March 19, 2014 AL SB 354 Authorizes Individuals Without Concealed Carry Licenses to Carry Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
March 18, 2014 GA HB 60 Amends Firearm Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 18)
March 17, 2014 KY SB 221 Authorizes Legislative Leaders to Intervene in Certain Court Cases Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
March 13, 2014 IN HB 1351 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 24)
March 13, 2014 IN SB 229 Authorizes the Concealed Possession of Firearms on School Property Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 10)
March 12, 2014 WI AB 19 Requires an Individual to Disclose the Number of Asbestos Trusts they Plan to Sue Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
March 10, 2014 UT SB 253 Prohibits Texting While Driving on a Highway Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 8)
March 8, 2014 WV HB 4588 Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
March 6, 2014 OR HB 4143 Amends Payout Procedures In Class Action Lawsuits Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15)
March 6, 2014 National S 1752 Military Justice Improvement Act of 2013 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
March 5, 2014 SD HB 1229 Requires Certain Individuals to be Reported to the National Background Check System Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
March 4, 2014 IN HB 1351 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
March 4, 2014 IN HB 1126 Amends Procedures for Awarding Unpaid Wages Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 25)
March 4, 2014 UT HB 20 Expands Protections for Police Officers in Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 13)
March 4, 2014 UT HB 20 Expands Protections for Police Officers in Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 13)
Feb. 27, 2014 KS SB 311 Increases the Limit for Non-Economic Civil Damages Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
Feb. 26, 2014 AL SB 63 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2014 KY SB 116 Amends Patent Laws Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Feb. 20, 2014 KS HB 2387 Requires 50 Year Minimum Sentence for Certain Murder Convictions Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
Feb. 20, 2014 MO SB 613 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
Feb. 20, 2014 MO SB 613 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
Feb. 19, 2014 AZ SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Feb. 19, 2014 AZ SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Feb. 19, 2014 KY SB 119 Establishes Medical Malpractice Claims Review Panel Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/20 AM 121 Nomination of Salvador A. Godinez to be Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections Nomination Confirmed - Senate (37 - 18)
3/19 SB 354 Authorizes Individuals Without Concealed Carry Licenses to Carry Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
3/18 HB 60 Amends Firearm Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 18)
3/17 SB 221 Authorizes Legislative Leaders to Intervene in Certain Court Cases Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
3/13 HB 1351 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 24)
3/13 SB 229 Authorizes the Concealed Possession of Firearms on School Property Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 10)
3/12 AB 19 Requires an Individual to Disclose the Number of Asbestos Trusts they Plan to Sue Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
3/10 SB 253 Prohibits Texting While Driving on a Highway Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 8)
3/08 HB 4588 Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
3/06 HB 4143 Amends Payout Procedures In Class Action Lawsuits Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15)
3/06 S 1752 Military Justice Improvement Act of 2013 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
3/05 HB 1229 Requires Certain Individuals to be Reported to the National Background Check System Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
3/04 HB 1351 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
3/04 HB 1126 Amends Procedures for Awarding Unpaid Wages Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 25)
3/04 HB 20 Expands Protections for Police Officers in Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 13)
3/04 HB 20 Expands Protections for Police Officers in Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 13)
2/27 SB 311 Increases the Limit for Non-Economic Civil Damages Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
2/26 SB 63 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
2/25 SB 116 Amends Patent Laws Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
2/20 HB 2387 Requires 50 Year Minimum Sentence for Certain Murder Convictions Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
2/20 SB 613 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
2/20 SB 613 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
2/19 SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
2/19 SB 1062 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
2/19 SB 119 Establishes Medical Malpractice Claims Review Panel Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)

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