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 12, 2014 | OK | SB 1848 | Amends Standards for Abortion Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| April 5, 2013 | KS | SB 199 | Establishes the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 8) |
| March 25, 2013 | SD | SB 115 | Increases Commercial Fertilizer Inspection Fee | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| May 21, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| March 19, 2012 | TN | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Oct. 26, 2011 | CT | SB 1401 | Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | IN | SB 192 | Authorizing a Study of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| April 29, 2010 | AZ | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| March 1, 2010 | AZ | SCR 1044 | Prohibiting Human Cloning | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| Feb. 26, 2010 | ID | S 1353 | Authorizing Health Care Professionals to Refuse Specific Health Care Services | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| April 23, 2009 | OK | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| March 12, 2009 | GA | SB 169 | In Vitro Embryo Creation Limitations | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | SD | SB 195 | Stem Cell Research Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | NM | SB 77 | Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
| June 12, 2008 | MA | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
| April 23, 2008 | FL | SB 2692 | Science Curriculum Flexibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| April 8, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| March 14, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |
| March 6, 2008 | MN | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | NM | SB 23 | Authorizing Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | NM | SB 23 | Authorizing Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Oct. 16, 2007 | National | HR 3093 | Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/12 | SB 1848 | Amends Standards for Abortion Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| 4/05 | SB 199 | Establishes the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 3/25 | SB 115 | Increases Commercial Fertilizer Inspection Fee | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 8/27 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 5/21 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 3/19 | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 2/27 | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 10/26 | SB 1401 | Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 2/22 | SB 192 | Authorizing a Study of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 4/29 | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 3/01 | SCR 1044 | Prohibiting Human Cloning | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 2/26 | S 1353 | Authorizing Health Care Professionals to Refuse Specific Health Care Services | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 4/23 | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| 3/12 | SB 169 | In Vitro Embryo Creation Limitations | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 22) |
| 2/23 | SB 195 | Stem Cell Research Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| 2/19 | SB 77 | Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
| 6/12 | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
| 4/23 | SB 2692 | Science Curriculum Flexibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 4/08 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 3/14 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |
| 3/06 | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9) |
| 2/27 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| 1/29 | SB 23 | Authorizing Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 1/29 | SB 23 | Authorizing Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 10/16 | HR 3093 | Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19) |