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 3, 2014 | SD | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Bill Passed - House (39 - 31) |
| March 3, 2014 | GA | HB 990 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion without Legislative Approval | Bill Passed - House (118 - 57) |
| March 3, 2014 | GA | HB 707 | Prohibits Use of State Resources to Assist with Medicaid Eligibility Expansion | Bill Passed - House (115 - 59) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | National | H Amdt 561 | Requires Agency Heads to File Negative-Impact Reports | Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 162) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | MO | HJR 47 | Amends Election Laws | Bill Passed - House (103 - 50) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | MO | HJR 47 | Amends Election Laws | Bill Passed - House (103 - 50) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | National | HR 3193 | Consumer Financial Protection Safety and Soundness Improvement Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 182) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | National | HR 2804 | Achieving Less Excess in Regulation and Requiring Transparency Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (236 - 179) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | AZ | SB 1344 | Amends Responsibilities of Clean Elections Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| Feb. 26, 2014 | National | HR 3865 | Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 176) |
| Feb. 25, 2014 | KY | SB 82 | Establishes Procedures for an Executive Cabinet Position | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 25, 2014 | KY | SB 82 | Establishes Procedures for an Executive Cabinet Position | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 24, 2014 | WV | HB 4490 | Amends Attorney General Conflict of Interest Laws | Bill Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| Feb. 24, 2014 | GA | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| Feb. 24, 2014 | TN | HB 937 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion | Bill Passed - House (69 - 24) |
| Feb. 21, 2014 | ID | HB 470 | Establishes the Idaho Wolf Depredation Control Board | Bill Passed - House (49 - 16) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | CA | AB 800 | Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | AZ | HB 2196 | Repeals Certain Elections Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | MO | HJR 72 | Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions | Amendment Adopted - House (109 - 42) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | AL | HB 45 | Authorizes Display of the Ten Commandments on State Property | Amendment Adopted - House (77 - 19) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | MO | SB 613 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | MO | HJR 72 | Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions | Amendment Adopted - House (109 - 42) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | MO | HJR 72 | Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions | Amendment Adopted - House (109 - 42) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | AL | HB 45 | Authorizes Display of the Ten Commandments on State Property | Amendment Adopted - House (77 - 19) |
| Feb. 19, 2014 | OH | SB 238 | Reduces Number of Absentee Voting Days | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Feb. 19, 2014 | OH | SB 205 | Amends Absentee Ballot Voting Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Feb. 19, 2014 | OH | SB 205 | Amends Absentee Ballot Voting Laws | Bill Passed - House (60 - 38) |
| Feb. 19, 2014 | OH | SB 238 | Reduces Number of Absentee Voting Days | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
| Feb. 19, 2014 | NM | SJR 13 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Joint Resolution Failed - House (33 - 29) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | WI | AB 161 | Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 36) |
| Feb. 17, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| Feb. 17, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| Feb. 17, 2014 | GA | SB 318 | Authorizes Bars to Sell Alcohol on Certain Holiday Weekends | Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| Feb. 14, 2014 | NM | SJR 13 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 17) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | NM | HB 11 | Increases Compensation for Elected State Officers | Bill Failed - House (29 - 32) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | NM | HB 82 | Prohibits a State Official from Working as a Lobbyist for 2 Years After Leaving Office | Bill Passed - House (43 - 23) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | AZ | HB 2196 | Repeals Certain Elections Laws | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | NM | HB 11 | Increases Compensation for Elected State Officers | Bill Failed - House (29 - 32) |
| 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. 12, 2014 | KS | HB 2453 | Authorizes an Individual to Refuse Services Based on Religious Beliefs | Bill Passed - House (72 - 49) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | SD | SB 142 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | SD | SB 142 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | NY | A 689A | Authorizes Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (93 - 43) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | WI | AB 161 | Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Feb. 10, 2014 | SD | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 6, 2014 | SD | HB 1123 | Extends the Alcoholic Beverage Service Hours of Certain Hotels | Bill Passed - House (36 - 33) |
| Feb. 6, 2014 | KY | SB 1 | Authorizes Legislature to Review Administrative Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Feb. 6, 2014 | KY | SB 1 | Authorizes Legislature to Review Administrative Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Feb. 6, 2014 | VA | HJ 9 | Encourages Congress to Convene a Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Failed - House (29 - 67) |