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
Jan. 31, 2013 VA HB 1617 Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership Bill Passed - House (80 - 19)
Jan. 31, 2013 WY HB 130 Authorizes Public Schools to Offer Elective Bible Study Classes Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
Jan. 31, 2013 AR SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Jan. 31, 2013 VA HB 1442 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students To Participate In Interscholastic Programs Bill Passed - House (56 - 43)
Jan. 31, 2013 WY SF 131 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
Jan. 30, 2013 WY HB 168 Authorizes Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Failed - House (25 - 34)
Jan. 29, 2013 SD HB 1087 Authorizes School Sentinel Programs Bill Passed - House (42 - 27)
Jan. 28, 2013 WY SF 132 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Jan. 28, 2013 NJ A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
Jan. 28, 2013 AR SB 71 Authorizes Handguns on Religious Institutions' Properties Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
Jan. 28, 2013 AR SB 71 Authorizes Handguns on Religious Institutions' Properties Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
Jan. 28, 2013 WY SF 132 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Jan. 24, 2013 RI H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (51 - 19)
Jan. 16, 2013 WY HB 23 Requires Juvenile Offenders to Be Eligible for Parole While Serving a Life Sentence Bill Passed - House (42 - 17)
Jan. 15, 2013 NY S 2230 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - House (104 - 43)
Jan. 14, 2013 NY S 2230 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18)
Jan. 8, 2013 IL SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (65 - 46)
Dec. 28, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
Dec. 17, 2012 NJ A 2578 Authorizes Internet Gaming at Atlantic City Casinos Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
Dec. 13, 2012 MI SB 59 Expands Areas Where Concealed Weapons are Authorized Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
Dec. 13, 2012 OH HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 23)
Dec. 13, 2012 OH HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Dec. 13, 2012 MI SB 59 Expands Areas Where Concealed Weapons are Authorized Bill Passed - House (68 - 41)
Dec. 5, 2012 OH HB 605 Prohibits Gambling In Internet Cafes Bill Passed - House (63 - 30)
Dec. 4, 2012 IL SB 681 Authorizes State Residents To Purchase Ammunition From In-State Companies Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/31 HB 1617 Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership Bill Passed - House (80 - 19)
1/31 HB 130 Authorizes Public Schools to Offer Elective Bible Study Classes Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
1/31 SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
1/31 HB 1442 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students To Participate In Interscholastic Programs Bill Passed - House (56 - 43)
1/31 SF 131 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
1/30 HB 168 Authorizes Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Failed - House (25 - 34)
1/29 HB 1087 Authorizes School Sentinel Programs Bill Passed - House (42 - 27)
1/28 SF 132 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
1/28 A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
1/28 SB 71 Authorizes Handguns on Religious Institutions' Properties Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
1/28 SB 71 Authorizes Handguns on Religious Institutions' Properties Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
1/28 SF 132 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
1/24 H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (51 - 19)
1/16 HB 23 Requires Juvenile Offenders to Be Eligible for Parole While Serving a Life Sentence Bill Passed - House (42 - 17)
1/15 S 2230 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - House (104 - 43)
1/14 S 2230 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18)
1/08 SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (65 - 46)
12/28 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
12/17 A 2578 Authorizes Internet Gaming at Atlantic City Casinos Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
12/13 SB 59 Expands Areas Where Concealed Weapons are Authorized Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
12/13 HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 23)
12/13 HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
12/13 SB 59 Expands Areas Where Concealed Weapons are Authorized Bill Passed - House (68 - 41)
12/05 HB 605 Prohibits Gambling In Internet Cafes Bill Passed - House (63 - 30)
12/04 SB 681 Authorizes State Residents To Purchase Ammunition From In-State Companies Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 28)

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