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 12, 2014 | OK | SB 1848 | Amends Standards for Abortion Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| March 12, 2014 | WI | SB 324 | Amends the Absentee Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| March 10, 2014 | OK | SB 1023 | Prohibits Any Municipality from Establishing a Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 9) |
| March 6, 2014 | KS | HB 2338 | Appropriates Funds to the Judicial Branch | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 5, 2014 | SD | HJR 1002 | Increases Legislative Term Limit Length | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
| March 5, 2014 | SD | HJR 1002 | Increases Legislative Term Limit Length | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
| March 5, 2014 | SD | HJR 1001 | Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos | Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 4, 2014 | SD | HB 1123 | Extends the Alcoholic Beverage Service Hours of Certain Hotels | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | AZ | SB 1344 | Amends Responsibilities of Clean Elections Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 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 | GA | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| 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 | SB 613 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Feb. 19, 2014 | OH | SB 205 | Amends Absentee Ballot Voting Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Feb. 19, 2014 | OH | SB 238 | Reduces Number of Absentee Voting Days | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 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 | 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 | 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/12 | SB 1848 | Amends Standards for Abortion Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| 3/12 | SB 324 | Amends the Absentee Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 3/10 | SB 1023 | Prohibits Any Municipality from Establishing a Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 9) |
| 3/06 | HB 2338 | Appropriates Funds to the Judicial Branch | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/05 | HJR 1002 | Increases Legislative Term Limit Length | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
| 3/05 | HJR 1002 | Increases Legislative Term Limit Length | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
| 3/05 | HJR 1001 | Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos | Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 3/04 | HB 1123 | Extends the Alcoholic Beverage Service Hours of Certain Hotels | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
| 2/27 | SB 1344 | Amends Responsibilities of Clean Elections Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 2/25 | SB 82 | Establishes Procedures for an Executive Cabinet Position | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 2/25 | SB 82 | Establishes Procedures for an Executive Cabinet Position | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 2/24 | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| 2/20 | AB 800 | Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 2/20 | HB 2196 | Repeals Certain Elections Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 2/20 | SB 613 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 2/19 | SB 205 | Amends Absentee Ballot Voting Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 2/19 | SB 238 | Reduces Number of Absentee Voting Days | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 2/17 | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 2/17 | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 2/17 | SB 318 | Authorizes Bars to Sell Alcohol on Certain Holiday Weekends | Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| 2/14 | SJR 13 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 17) |
| 2/13 | SB 1496 | Authorizes Certain Individuals to Carry a Handgun in Public Parks | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/12 | SB 319 | Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 2/12 | SB 142 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/12 | SB 142 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 15) |