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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 11, 2015 | RI | H 5074 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
| June 3, 2015 | AL | SB 71 | Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 14) |
| June 1, 2015 | CA | SB 3 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| May 4, 2015 | MO | SB 24 | Reduces the Lifetime Limit for Certain Government Benefits | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| April 15, 2015 | MO | HB 150 | Limits Duration of Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| April 14, 2015 | MO | SB 24 | Reduces the Lifetime Limit for Certain Government Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 9) |
| April 7, 2015 | NV | AB 165 | Establishes the Nevada Educational Choice Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| April 7, 2015 | TX | SB 267 | Prohibits Local Regulations that Prohibit Refusal of Tenants Based on Source of Income | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| April 3, 2015 | NV | SB 193 | Increases Minimum Wage and Amends Overtime Definition | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| April 2, 2015 | KS | HB 2258 | Amends Social Service Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10) |
| March 31, 2015 | AL | SB 71 | Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| March 12, 2015 | AR | HB 1489 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| March 12, 2015 | NH | SB 261 | Increases Minimum Wage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| Feb. 25, 2015 | UT | SB 164 | Establishes Medicaid Expansion Pilot Program | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 269 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2015 | AZ | SB 1092 | Requires Waivers for Certain Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| Feb. 23, 2015 | MO | SB 24 | Reduces the Lifetime Limit for Certain Government Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| Feb. 18, 2015 | SD | SB 177 | Establishes a Youth Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | IL | SB 11 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| Dec. 10, 2014 | MI | HB 4118 | Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| Dec. 10, 2014 | MI | SB 275 | Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| July 28, 2014 | NC | HB 1181 | Establishes Commercial Managed Care for Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| June 19, 2014 | RI | H 7194A | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| June 12, 2014 | MA | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
| May 29, 2014 | CA | SB 935 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/11 | H 5074 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
| 6/03 | SB 71 | Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 6/01 | SB 3 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 5/04 | SB 24 | Reduces the Lifetime Limit for Certain Government Benefits | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| 4/15 | HB 150 | Limits Duration of Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 4/14 | SB 24 | Reduces the Lifetime Limit for Certain Government Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 9) |
| 4/07 | AB 165 | Establishes the Nevada Educational Choice Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 4/07 | SB 267 | Prohibits Local Regulations that Prohibit Refusal of Tenants Based on Source of Income | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 4/03 | SB 193 | Increases Minimum Wage and Amends Overtime Definition | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 4/02 | HB 2258 | Amends Social Service Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10) |
| 3/31 | SB 71 | Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 3/12 | HB 1489 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 3/12 | SB 261 | Increases Minimum Wage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 2/25 | SB 164 | Establishes Medicaid Expansion Pilot Program | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 2/24 | SF 269 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 2/23 | SB 1092 | Requires Waivers for Certain Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 2/23 | SB 24 | Reduces the Lifetime Limit for Certain Government Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 2/18 | SB 177 | Establishes a Youth Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/05 | SB 11 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| 12/10 | HB 4118 | Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| 12/10 | SB 275 | Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| 7/28 | HB 1181 | Establishes Commercial Managed Care for Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| 6/19 | H 7194A | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 6/12 | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
| 5/29 | SB 935 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |