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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 18, 2014 | WA | SB 6523 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals | Bill Passed - House (75 - 22) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | VA | HB 1237 | Authorizes Hunting on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | VA | HB 1237 | Authorizes Hunting on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | WV | SB 6 | Prohibits Sale of Medicines Containing Pseudoephedrine without Prescription | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | WV | SB 6 | Prohibits Sale of Medicines Containing Pseudoephedrine without Prescription | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | GA | HB 875 | Authorizes Individuals to Carry Weapons in Previously Prohibited Locations | Bill Passed - House (119 - 56) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | GA | HB 875 | Authorizes Individuals to Carry Weapons in Previously Prohibited Locations | Bill Passed - House (119 - 56) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | ID | S 1254 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Firearms on College or University Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 17, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| Feb. 17, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| Feb. 17, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| Feb. 17, 2014 | GA | SB 318 | Authorizes Bars to Sell Alcohol on Certain Holiday Weekends | Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| Feb. 14, 2014 | ID | S 1337 | Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Feb. 14, 2014 | ID | S 1337 | Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | MS | H Amdt 1 | Exempts Pregnancies that Result from Rape or Incest from 20 Week Abortion Prohibition | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | TN | SB 1496 | Authorizes Certain Individuals to Carry a Handgun in Public Parks | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | MO | HB 1430 | Authorizes Health Care Providers to Opt Out of Certain Medical Procedures | Bill Passed - House (112 - 38) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | MI | SB 319 | Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | KS | HB 2453 | Authorizes an Individual to Refuse Services Based on Religious Beliefs | Bill Passed - House (72 - 49) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | KS | HB 2453 | Authorizes an Individual to Refuse Services Based on Religious Beliefs | Bill Passed - House (72 - 49) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | MS | SB 2563 | Requires Universities to Develop a Plan of Action for Unplanned Pregnancies | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | IA | HF 2175 | Prohibits Webcam Abortions | Bill Passed - House (55 - 42) |
| Feb. 10, 2014 | SD | HB 1158 | Establishes a Prenatal Care Program for Non-Citizen Individuals | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| Feb. 6, 2014 | SD | HB 1185 | Authorizes Certain Nonresidents to Obtain Waterfowl Hunting Licenses | Bill Passed - House (36 - 32) |
| Feb. 6, 2014 | SD | HB 1185 | Authorizes Certain Nonresidents to Obtain Waterfowl Hunting Licenses | Bill Passed - House (36 - 32) |
| Feb. 6, 2014 | MD | SB 263 | Amends Baltimore's Needle and Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | KY | SB 8 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | UT | HB 57 | Limits the Use of Carbon Monoxide for Animal Euthanasia | Bill Passed - House (61 - 8) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | MI | SB 319 | Amends the Sentencing Procedure for Certain Juvenile Offenders | Bill Passed - House (62 - 48) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | NE | LB 399 | Authorizes Crime Prevention Vehicles to Use Amber Lights | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (32 - 12) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | SD | SB 75 | Prohibits a Local Government From Establishing a Dog Breed-Specific Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | IN | SB 404 | Establishes Regulations for High-Fence Hunting Preserves | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | IN | SB 404 | Establishes Regulations for High-Fence Hunting Preserves | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| Jan. 31, 2014 | WA | SB 6523 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | SD | HJR 1001 | Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 30) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | CA | SB 383 | Authorizes Businesses to Collect Certain Cardholder Information in Online Transactions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | IN | SB 339 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol at the Indiana State Fair | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | VA | HB 63 | Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Interscholastic Programs | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| Jan. 29, 2014 | SD | SB 76 | Amends Self Defense Against a Mountain Lion | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | SB 229 | Amends Firearm Buy-Back Program Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HB 1351 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (71 - 22) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | VA | HB 1237 | Authorizes Hunting on Sundays | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | VA | HB 1237 | Authorizes Hunting on Sundays | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HJR 3 | Defines Marriage as Between 1 Man and 1 Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| Jan. 27, 2014 | NY | A 8070 | Requires Equal Pay | Bill Passed - House (88 - 43) |
| Jan. 23, 2014 | SC | SB 308 | Authorizes Carrying Concealed Weapons into Businesses that Serve Alcohol | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (90 - 18) |
| Jan. 23, 2014 | IN | SB 50 | Prohibits the Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| Jan. 23, 2014 | IN | SB 50 | Prohibits the Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |