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
April 18, 2013 AZ HB 2282 Requires a Primary During Recall Elections Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 18)
April 18, 2013 AZ HB 2280 Prohibits Local Governments from Establishing Employee Pay Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
April 17, 2013 National S Amdt 719 Authorizes Reciprocity for the Carrying of Certain Concealed Firearms Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 43)
April 17, 2013 IA SF 447 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
April 16, 2013 MT HB 13 Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
April 16, 2013 MN SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
April 16, 2013 MN SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
April 16, 2013 OR SB 835 Prohibits Horse Tripping in Rodeos Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
April 16, 2013 IA SF 440 Appropriates Funds for Mental Health Services Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
April 9, 2013 AZ HB 2593 Amends Campaign Finance Limits Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
April 9, 2013 WI AB 15 Authorizes Work-Share Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
April 9, 2013 AR HB 1855 Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
April 9, 2013 AR HB 1855 Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
April 9, 2013 WI AB 15 Authorizes Work-Share Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
April 8, 2013 MD HB 224 Amends Voting Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
April 8, 2013 MT HB 30 Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
April 5, 2013 KS SB 102 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
April 5, 2013 KS HB 2234 Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 13)
April 4, 2013 MO SB 265 Prohibits Compliance with United Nations Agenda 21 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
April 3, 2013 NC SB 306 Repeals the Racial Justice Act Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
April 2, 2013 KS HB 2069 Prohibits Local Governments from Enforcing a Union Wage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
April 2, 2013 AZ HB 2477 Requires Photo Radar Systems To Be Necessary for Public Safety Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
April 1, 2013 NV SJR 15 Removes the Separate Tax Rate on Mining Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
March 28, 2013 MT HB 217 Exempts Religious Organizations from Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
March 27, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/18 HB 2282 Requires a Primary During Recall Elections Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 18)
4/18 HB 2280 Prohibits Local Governments from Establishing Employee Pay Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
4/17 S Amdt 719 Authorizes Reciprocity for the Carrying of Certain Concealed Firearms Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 43)
4/17 SF 447 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
4/16 HB 13 Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
4/16 SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
4/16 SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
4/16 SB 835 Prohibits Horse Tripping in Rodeos Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
4/16 SF 440 Appropriates Funds for Mental Health Services Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
4/09 HB 2593 Amends Campaign Finance Limits Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
4/09 AB 15 Authorizes Work-Share Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
4/09 HB 1855 Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
4/09 HB 1855 Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
4/09 AB 15 Authorizes Work-Share Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
4/08 HB 224 Amends Voting Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
4/08 HB 30 Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
4/05 SB 102 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
4/05 HB 2234 Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 13)
4/04 SB 265 Prohibits Compliance with United Nations Agenda 21 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
4/03 SB 306 Repeals the Racial Justice Act Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
4/02 HB 2069 Prohibits Local Governments from Enforcing a Union Wage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
4/02 HB 2477 Requires Photo Radar Systems To Be Necessary for Public Safety Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
4/01 SJR 15 Removes the Separate Tax Rate on Mining Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
3/28 HB 217 Exempts Religious Organizations from Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
3/27 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12)

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