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
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 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. 28, 2014 IN HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40)
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 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 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)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/29 HB 154 Requires Periodic Public School Financial Reports Bill Passed - House (58 - 41)
1/28 LD 1254 Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine Veto Override Failed - Senate (20 - 13)
1/28 HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40)
1/28 HB 1143 Prohibits State Environmental Regulations from Exceeding EPA Regulations Bill Passed - House (68 - 28)
1/28 SB 229 Amends Firearm Buy-Back Program Laws Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
1/28 HJR 3 Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40)
1/14 LD 1254 Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine Veto Override Passed - House (94 - 46)
1/13 HB 1411 Requires Schools To Make Their Expenses Public Bill Passed - House (119 - 81)
1/13 HB 1411 Requires Schools To Make Their Expenses Public Bill Passed - House (119 - 81)
1/09 HR 2279 Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (225 - 188)
1/09 HR 2279 Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (225 - 188)
1/08 HB 544 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (182 - 154)
12/18 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
12/17 HB 1234 Reduces Size of General Assembly Joint Resolution Passed - House (148 - 50)
12/17 HB 1234 Reduces Size of General Assembly Joint Resolution Passed - House (148 - 50)
12/12 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (332 - 94)
12/05 H Amdt 521 Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213)
12/05 H Amdt 521 Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213)
12/05 H Amdt 524 Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266)
12/05 H Amdt 524 Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266)
12/05 HR 3309 Innovation Act Bill Passed - House (325 - 91)
12/05 HR 3309 Innovation Act Bill Passed - House (325 - 91)
12/03 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53)
12/03 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53)
12/03 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53)

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