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
Feb. 26, 2013 WY HB 41 Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
Feb. 26, 2013 UT SB 109 Authorizes the State Engineer to Manage Water Usage Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
Feb. 26, 2013 IN SB 213 Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
Feb. 26, 2013 MT HB 229 Amends Campaign Finance Limits Bill Passed - House (58 - 40)
Feb. 25, 2013 AK HB 69 Exempts Firearms from Federal Regulation Bill Passed - House (31 - 5)
Feb. 25, 2013 MT HB 396 Requires County Board Approval for Bison Relocation Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
Feb. 25, 2013 IN HB 1011 Authorizes a Metropolitan Transit District Bill Passed - House (56 - 39)
Feb. 25, 2013 ID SJM 101 Urges the Enforcement of Federal Drug-Free Policy Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 21)
Feb. 25, 2013 TN HB 553 Prohibits War Monuments from Being Renamed Bill Passed - House (69 - 22)
Feb. 25, 2013 TN HB 553 Prohibits War Monuments from Being Renamed Bill Passed - House (69 - 22)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Feb. 21, 2013 MT HB 254 Requires Disclaimers on Elections Materials Bill Passed - House (76 - 23)
Feb. 20, 2013 VA SB 1324 Establishes Education Institution and Board Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
Feb. 20, 2013 VA SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
Feb. 20, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 20, 2013 WV HB 2434 Increases Compensation for Court Magistrates Bill Passed - House (53 - 45)
Feb. 20, 2013 WV HB 2434 Increases Compensation for Court Magistrates Bill Passed - House (53 - 45)
Feb. 20, 2013 VT H 265 Amends Education Property Tax Rates for Fiscal Year 2014 Bill Passed - House (96 - 45)
Feb. 20, 2013 NH HB 370 Repeals the Education Tax Credit Program Bill Passed - House (188 - 151)
Feb. 19, 2013 WY HB 1 2013-2014 Supplemental Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (50 - 6)
Feb. 19, 2013 IA HF 215 Appropriates Education Funding and Establishes New Programs Bill Passed - House (52 - 44)
Feb. 18, 2013 NM HB 63 Prohibits Breed-Specific Dog Regulations Bill Passed - House (48 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/26 HB 41 Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
2/26 SB 109 Authorizes the State Engineer to Manage Water Usage Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
2/26 SB 213 Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
2/26 HB 229 Amends Campaign Finance Limits Bill Passed - House (58 - 40)
2/25 HB 69 Exempts Firearms from Federal Regulation Bill Passed - House (31 - 5)
2/25 HB 396 Requires County Board Approval for Bison Relocation Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
2/25 HB 1011 Authorizes a Metropolitan Transit District Bill Passed - House (56 - 39)
2/25 SJM 101 Urges the Enforcement of Federal Drug-Free Policy Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 21)
2/25 HB 553 Prohibits War Monuments from Being Renamed Bill Passed - House (69 - 22)
2/25 HB 553 Prohibits War Monuments from Being Renamed Bill Passed - House (69 - 22)
2/22 SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/22 SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/22 SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
2/22 SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
2/21 HB 254 Requires Disclaimers on Elections Materials Bill Passed - House (76 - 23)
2/20 SB 1324 Establishes Education Institution and Board Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
2/20 SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
2/20 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/20 HB 2434 Increases Compensation for Court Magistrates Bill Passed - House (53 - 45)
2/20 HB 2434 Increases Compensation for Court Magistrates Bill Passed - House (53 - 45)
2/20 H 265 Amends Education Property Tax Rates for Fiscal Year 2014 Bill Passed - House (96 - 45)
2/20 HB 370 Repeals the Education Tax Credit Program Bill Passed - House (188 - 151)
2/19 HB 1 2013-2014 Supplemental Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (50 - 6)
2/19 HF 215 Appropriates Education Funding and Establishes New Programs Bill Passed - House (52 - 44)
2/18 HB 63 Prohibits Breed-Specific Dog Regulations Bill Passed - House (48 - 14)

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