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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 6, 2013 | OK | SB 802 | Prohibits the Sale of Electric Cigarettes to Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 15) |
| March 5, 2013 | HI | SB 69 | Requires Background Checks at Gun Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | AR | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Veto Override Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | AR | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 63 | Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | Holland Amendment to SB 63 | Prohibits the Secretary of State from Operating a PAC | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 142 | Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 149 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | SD | HB 1087 | Authorizes School Sentinel Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | AR | HB 1243 | Authorizes University Staff to Carry a Concealed Handgun | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | MT | SB 107 | Amends Sexual Conduct Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2013 | AR | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | VA | SB 1335 | Prohibits Disclosure of Concealed Firearm Permit Information | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | KY | SB 50 | Authorizes Industrial Hemp Farming | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | VT | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | VT | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| Feb. 13, 2013 | VT | Galbraith and Hartwell Amdt | Establishes Immunity for Doctors Prescribing or People Present to Lethal Dosage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 15) |
| Feb. 12, 2013 | National | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| Feb. 11, 2013 | TN | SB 142 | Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5) |
| Feb. 8, 2013 | MD | SB 74 | Prohibits Operating a Vessel Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/06 | SB 802 | Prohibits the Sale of Electric Cigarettes to Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 15) |
| 3/05 | SB 69 | Requires Background Checks at Gun Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3) |
| 2/28 | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Veto Override Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 2/28 | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/28 | SB 63 | Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/28 | Holland Amendment to SB 63 | Prohibits the Secretary of State from Operating a PAC | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 2/28 | SB 142 | Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/28 | SB 149 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/27 | HB 1087 | Authorizes School Sentinel Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 2/26 | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 2/25 | HB 1243 | Authorizes University Staff to Carry a Concealed Handgun | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 2/20 | SB 107 | Amends Sexual Conduct Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| 2/20 | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 2/18 | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| 2/14 | SB 1335 | Prohibits Disclosure of Concealed Firearm Permit Information | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/14 | SB 50 | Authorizes Industrial Hemp Farming | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 2/14 | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 2/14 | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 2/13 | Galbraith and Hartwell Amdt | Establishes Immunity for Doctors Prescribing or People Present to Lethal Dosage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 15) |
| 2/12 | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| 2/11 | SB 142 | Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5) |
| 2/08 | SB 74 | Prohibits Operating a Vessel Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8) |