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
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)

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