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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. 5, 2014 | IL | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | TN | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | SD | HJR 1002 | Increases Legislative Term Limit Length | Joint Resolution Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | SD | HJR 1002 | Increases Legislative Term Limit Length | Joint Resolution Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | TN | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | TN | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | IA | SF 2079 | Increases School Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | MI | SB 319 | Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Bill Passed - House (62 - 48) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | IL | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Bill Passed - House (62 - 48) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | SD | SB 75 | Prohibits a Local Government From Establishing a Dog Breed-Specific Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | KY | SB 58 | Repeals the Office of the State Secretary of the Treasury | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | KY | SB 58 | Repeals the Office of the State Secretary of the Treasury | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | IN | SB 176 | Authorizes Funding for a Mass Transit System | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| Feb. 3, 2014 | VA | HB 706 | Authorizes Legislators to Hire Counsel to Represent Virginia in Court | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| Feb. 3, 2014 | VA | HB 706 | Authorizes Legislators to Hire Counsel to Represent Virginia in Court | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | IN | HB 1001 | Authorizes Property Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (63 - 33) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | VA | HB 63 | Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Interscholastic Programs | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | CA | AJR 1 | Requests Constitutional Convention to Overturn Citizens United | Bill Passed - House (51 - 20) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | SD | HJR 1001 | Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 30) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | CA | AJR 1 | Requests Constitutional Convention to Overturn Citizens United | Bill Passed - House (51 - 20) |
| Jan. 29, 2014 | KY | HB 154 | Requires Periodic Public School Financial Reports | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | ME | LD 1254 | Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine | Veto Override Failed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HB 1143 | Prohibits State Environmental Regulations from Exceeding EPA Regulations | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | SB 229 | Amends Firearm Buy-Back Program Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| Jan. 14, 2014 | ME | LD 1254 | Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine | Veto Override Passed - House (94 - 46) |
| Jan. 13, 2014 | PA | HB 1411 | Requires Schools To Make Their Expenses Public | Bill Passed - House (119 - 81) |
| Jan. 13, 2014 | PA | HB 1411 | Requires Schools To Make Their Expenses Public | Bill Passed - House (119 - 81) |
| Jan. 9, 2014 | National | HR 2279 | Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (225 - 188) |
| Jan. 9, 2014 | National | HR 2279 | Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (225 - 188) |
| Jan. 8, 2014 | NH | HB 544 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (182 - 154) |
| Dec. 18, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| Dec. 17, 2013 | PA | HB 1234 | Reduces Size of General Assembly | Joint Resolution Passed - House (148 - 50) |
| Dec. 17, 2013 | PA | HB 1234 | Reduces Size of General Assembly | Joint Resolution Passed - House (148 - 50) |
| Dec. 12, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (332 - 94) |
| 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 | H Amdt 521 | Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits | Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213) |
| 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) |
| Dec. 5, 2013 | National | HR 3309 | Innovation Act | Bill Passed - House (325 - 91) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |