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 4, 2013 | GA | HB 125 | Amends State Immigration Policy | Bill Passed - House (116 - 49) |
| March 1, 2013 | IL | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - House (64 - 46) |
| March 1, 2013 | UT | HB 76 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of a Firearm Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (51 - 18) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | AR | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Veto Override Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | AR | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | National | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 138) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | National | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 138) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | TN | SB 142 | Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas | Bill Passed - House (72 - 22) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | National | H Amdt 23 | Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act | Amendment Rejected - House (166 - 257) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | UT | HB 268 | Redefines Disorderly Conduct Regarding Firearms | Bill Passed - House (54 - 12) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 142 | Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 149 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | AR | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Veto Override Passed - House (53 - 28) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | SD | HB 1087 | Authorizes School Sentinel Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | MT | HB 384 | Authorizes Students to Bring Firearms to School | Bill Failed - House (45 - 53) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | KY | HB 416 | Establishes the Kentucky Retirement Systems Sustainability Trust Fund | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | WY | HB 77 | Establishes Wyoming Lottery Corporation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 13) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | WY | HB 77 | Establishes Wyoming Lottery Corporation | Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 25) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/04 | HB 125 | Amends State Immigration Policy | Bill Passed - House (116 - 49) |
| 3/01 | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - House (64 - 46) |
| 3/01 | HB 76 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of a Firearm Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (51 - 18) |
| 2/28 | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Veto Override Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 2/28 | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/28 | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 138) |
| 2/28 | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 138) |
| 2/28 | SB 142 | Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas | Bill Passed - House (72 - 22) |
| 2/28 | H Amdt 23 | Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act | Amendment Rejected - House (166 - 257) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/28 | HB 268 | Redefines Disorderly Conduct Regarding Firearms | Bill Passed - House (54 - 12) |
| 2/28 | SB 142 | Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| 2/28 | SB 149 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 2/27 | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Veto Override Passed - House (53 - 28) |
| 2/27 | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| 2/27 | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| 2/27 | HB 1087 | Authorizes School Sentinel Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 2/27 | HB 384 | Authorizes Students to Bring Firearms to School | Bill Failed - House (45 - 53) |
| 2/27 | HB 416 | Establishes the Kentucky Retirement Systems Sustainability Trust Fund | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 2/26 | HB 77 | Establishes Wyoming Lottery Corporation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 2/26 | HB 77 | Establishes Wyoming Lottery Corporation | Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 25) |
| 2/26 | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 2/26 | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |