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
May 4, 2013 TX HB 852 Prohibits the Sale of Shark Fins Bill Passed - House (87 - 42)
May 1, 2013 TX HB 489 Expands Access to Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD Bill Passed - House (120 - 21)
April 23, 2013 OR HB 2624 Exempts Counties from Hunting Dog Prohibitions if Approved by County Voters Bill Passed - House (40 - 19)
April 22, 2013 MT SB 256 Requires the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Organization to be Liable for Damage Caused by Wild Buffalo Conference Report Adopted - House (61 - 39)
April 17, 2013 TN SB 1248 Requires Disclosure of Photographic Evidence of Animal Abuse Bill Passed - House (50 - 43)
April 17, 2013 MT SB 143 Amends Bison Management Laws Bill Failed - House (50 - 50)
April 15, 2013 IN SB 487 Establishes Regulations for Hunting Preserves Bill Passed - House (52 - 39)
March 7, 2013 MI SB 48 Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
Feb. 27, 2013 WY HB 41 Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11)
Feb. 26, 2013 NM HB 316 Prohibits Animal Killing Contests Bill Failed - House (30 - 38)
Feb. 25, 2013 MT HB 396 Requires County Board Approval for Bison Relocation Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
Feb. 22, 2013 MT HB 205 Authorizes Use of Suppressors for Hunting Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
Feb. 20, 2013 OK HB 1999 Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses Bill Passed - House (82 - 14)
Feb. 18, 2013 NM HB 63 Prohibits Breed-Specific Dog Regulations Bill Passed - House (48 - 14)
Feb. 13, 2013 WY SF 132 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - House (44 - 14)
Feb. 13, 2013 NC HB 66 Authorizes the Use and Display of Wild Animals in Cultural Activities Bill Passed - House (98 - 20)
Feb. 6, 2013 MT HB 27 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - House (63 - 33)
Aug. 22, 2012 CA SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - House (46 - 30)
April 28, 2012 MN HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62)
April 11, 2012 AZ HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15)
March 22, 2012 ID S 1256 Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags Bill Passed - House (38 - 29)
March 15, 2012 ID H 542 Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land Bill Passed - House (48 - 21)
March 5, 2012 GA HB 717 Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault Bill Failed - House (82 - 73)
Feb. 29, 2012 National HR 1837 Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Bill Passed - House (246 - 175)
July 27, 2011 National H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/04 HB 852 Prohibits the Sale of Shark Fins Bill Passed - House (87 - 42)
5/01 HB 489 Expands Access to Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD Bill Passed - House (120 - 21)
4/23 HB 2624 Exempts Counties from Hunting Dog Prohibitions if Approved by County Voters Bill Passed - House (40 - 19)
4/22 SB 256 Requires the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Organization to be Liable for Damage Caused by Wild Buffalo Conference Report Adopted - House (61 - 39)
4/17 SB 1248 Requires Disclosure of Photographic Evidence of Animal Abuse Bill Passed - House (50 - 43)
4/17 SB 143 Amends Bison Management Laws Bill Failed - House (50 - 50)
4/15 SB 487 Establishes Regulations for Hunting Preserves Bill Passed - House (52 - 39)
3/07 SB 48 Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
2/27 HB 41 Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11)
2/26 HB 316 Prohibits Animal Killing Contests Bill Failed - House (30 - 38)
2/25 HB 396 Requires County Board Approval for Bison Relocation Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
2/22 HB 205 Authorizes Use of Suppressors for Hunting Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
2/20 HB 1999 Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses Bill Passed - House (82 - 14)
2/18 HB 63 Prohibits Breed-Specific Dog Regulations Bill Passed - House (48 - 14)
2/13 SF 132 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - House (44 - 14)
2/13 HB 66 Authorizes the Use and Display of Wild Animals in Cultural Activities Bill Passed - House (98 - 20)
2/06 HB 27 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - House (63 - 33)
8/22 SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - House (46 - 30)
4/28 HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62)
4/11 HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15)
3/22 S 1256 Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags Bill Passed - House (38 - 29)
3/15 H 542 Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land Bill Passed - House (48 - 21)
3/05 HB 717 Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault Bill Failed - House (82 - 73)
2/29 HR 1837 Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Bill Passed - House (246 - 175)
7/27 H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)

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