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 8, 2013 | WA | SB 5187 | Authorizes Livestock Owners to Dispatch Gray Wolves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Feb. 18, 2013 | NM | SB 73 | Amends Game and Fish License Suspension Periods | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | MI | SB 48 | Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| Feb. 11, 2013 | IN | SJR 7 | Guarantees Right to Hunt and Fish | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| Jan. 28, 2013 | WY | SF 132 | Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
| May 21, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| April 28, 2012 | MN | HF 2171 | Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28) |
| April 5, 2012 | AZ | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 28, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| March 26, 2012 | ID | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
| Feb. 24, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 7, 2012 | OR | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 376 | Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| June 23, 2011 | DE | SB 129 | Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| April 20, 2011 | WA | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 22, 2011 | IA | SF 464 | Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| March 10, 2011 | MO | SB 113 | Regulating Animal Care Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| Jan. 27, 2011 | WY | SF 100 | Cruelty to Animals | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| Jan. 19, 2011 | MT | SB 112 | Authorizes the Use of Hand-Thrown Spears | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| June 20, 2010 | LA | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| May 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| April 29, 2010 | AZ | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/08 | SB 5187 | Authorizes Livestock Owners to Dispatch Gray Wolves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| 2/26 | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 2/18 | SB 73 | Amends Game and Fish License Suspension Periods | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 2/14 | SB 48 | Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 2/11 | SJR 7 | Guarantees Right to Hunt and Fish | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 1/28 | SF 132 | Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 8/27 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 5/24 | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
| 5/21 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 4/28 | HF 2171 | Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28) |
| 4/05 | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/28 | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 3/26 | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
| 2/24 | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/07 | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 9/06 | AB 376 | Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| 6/23 | SB 129 | Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| 4/20 | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 3/22 | SF 464 | Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 3/10 | SB 113 | Regulating Animal Care Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 1/27 | SF 100 | Cruelty to Animals | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 1/19 | SB 112 | Authorizes the Use of Hand-Thrown Spears | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 6/20 | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 5/10 | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 4/29 | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |