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 4, 2014 | IN | HB 1126 | Amends Procedures for Awarding Unpaid Wages | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 25) |
| March 4, 2014 | UT | HB 20 | Expands Protections for Police Officers in Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 13) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | KS | SB 311 | Increases the Limit for Non-Economic Civil Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| Feb. 25, 2014 | KY | SB 116 | Amends Patent Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Feb. 19, 2014 | KY | SB 119 | Establishes Medical Malpractice Claims Review Panel | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Feb. 19, 2014 | AZ | SB 1062 | Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | KS | HB 2389 | Establishes Time Limits on Death Penalty Appeals Process | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | MI | SB 319 | Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | WI | AB 161 | Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 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) |
| Oct. 30, 2013 | MI | SB 652 | Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Oct. 30, 2013 | MI | SB 652 | Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Sept. 11, 2013 | MO | SB 267 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| July 23, 2013 | NC | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
| July 3, 2013 | NC | HB 695 | Amends Abortion Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
| June 12, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| June 4, 2013 | LA | SB 188 | Increases Judicial Pay | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| May 30, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
| May 26, 2013 | TX | HB 912 | Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5) |
| May 22, 2013 | AZ | SB 1178 | Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| May 22, 2013 | TX | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| May 20, 2013 | CA | SB 439 | Exempts Certain Medical Marijuana Collectives and Cooperatives from Prosecution | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| May 8, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| April 30, 2013 | HI | HB 622 | Limits Media 'Shield Law' Provisions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/04 | HB 1126 | Amends Procedures for Awarding Unpaid Wages | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 25) |
| 3/04 | HB 20 | Expands Protections for Police Officers in Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 13) |
| 2/27 | SB 311 | Increases the Limit for Non-Economic Civil Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 2/25 | SB 116 | Amends Patent Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| 2/19 | SB 119 | Establishes Medical Malpractice Claims Review Panel | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 2/19 | SB 1062 | Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 2/13 | HB 2389 | Establishes Time Limits on Death Penalty Appeals Process | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 2/12 | SB 319 | Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 2/11 | AB 161 | Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 2/05 | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| 2/05 | SJR 123 | Requires Election of Attorney General Position | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 14) |
| 10/30 | SB 652 | Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 10/30 | SB 652 | Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 9/11 | SB 267 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 7/23 | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
| 7/03 | HB 695 | Amends Abortion Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
| 6/12 | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| 6/04 | SB 188 | Increases Judicial Pay | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| 5/30 | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 5/26 | HB 912 | Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5) |
| 5/22 | SB 1178 | Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 5/22 | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 5/20 | SB 439 | Exempts Certain Medical Marijuana Collectives and Cooperatives from Prosecution | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 5/08 | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 4/30 | HB 622 | Limits Media 'Shield Law' Provisions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |