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
Feb. 14, 2014 NM SJR 13 Increases the Minimum Wage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 17)
Feb. 11, 2014 VA SB 590 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 4, 2014 National HR 2642 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 32)
Jan. 31, 2014 WA SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
Jan. 14, 2014 National S 1845 Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
Nov. 19, 2013 MA Amdt 1 Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
Nov. 19, 2013 MA S 1925 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
Sept. 18, 2013 MI SB 276 Requires Community Service for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
Sept. 12, 2013 CA AB 10 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Aug. 27, 2013 MI HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
July 8, 2013 OR HB 2639 Prohibits Discrimination in Selling, Renting, or Leasing Property Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
July 3, 2013 PA HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
June 10, 2013 National S 954 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27)
May 16, 2013 AZ SB 1492 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
April 25, 2013 AL SB 340 Amends the Medicaid Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3)
April 24, 2013 AL SB 191 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
April 18, 2013 AR SB 1020 Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 5)
April 16, 2013 IA SF 439 Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
April 10, 2013 IN HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
April 8, 2013 AR SB 38 Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
April 8, 2013 AR SB 875 Reduces Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amounts Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
March 27, 2013 MD SB 274 Expands Medicaid Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
March 25, 2013 IA SF 296 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 7, 2013 CA SB 1-1 Expands Eligibility for Medi-Cal Program Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
Feb. 28, 2013 KS SB 149 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
Feb. 26, 2013 NC SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16)
Feb. 4, 2013 VA SB 721 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
June 29, 2012 PA HB 1261 Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
June 25, 2012 NJ S 1566 Authorizes the Conversion of Foreclosed Homes into Affordable Housing Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
June 19, 2012 National S Amdt 2172 Rescinds Bonuses to States for Administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 58)
June 19, 2012 National S Amdt 2174 Limits Eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56)
June 15, 2012 CA AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
June 13, 2012 National S Amdt 2392 Reduces Funding for Food Stamps Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33)
June 12, 2012 RI S 2052 Homeless Bill of Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2)
June 5, 2012 PA SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
May 1, 2012 CT SB 79 Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
April 25, 2012 TN SB 2580 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
April 11, 2012 NE LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
April 9, 2012 AK SB 203 Establishes an Energy Assistance Program Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4)
March 29, 2012 GA HB 347 Reduces Unemployment Benefits Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17)
March 28, 2012 AZ HB 2519 Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
March 27, 2012 GA HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15)
March 12, 2012 AZ SB 1388 Job Training for Unemployed Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 312 Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
March 5, 2012 WY HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
March 5, 2012 AZ SB 1495 Requires Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/14 SJR 13 Increases the Minimum Wage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 17)
2/11 SB 590 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/04 HR 2642 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 32)
1/31 SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
1/14 S 1845 Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
11/19 Amdt 1 Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
11/19 S 1925 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
9/18 SB 276 Requires Community Service for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
9/12 AB 10 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
8/27 HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
7/08 HB 2639 Prohibits Discrimination in Selling, Renting, or Leasing Property Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
7/03 HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
6/10 S 954 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27)
5/16 SB 1492 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
4/25 SB 340 Amends the Medicaid Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3)
4/24 SB 191 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
4/18 SB 1020 Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 5)
4/16 SF 439 Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
4/10 HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
4/08 SB 38 Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
4/08 SB 875 Reduces Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amounts Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
3/27 SB 274 Expands Medicaid Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
3/25 SF 296 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/07 SB 1-1 Expands Eligibility for Medi-Cal Program Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
2/28 SB 149 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
2/26 SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16)
2/04 SB 721 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)
10/25 S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
10/25 S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
6/29 HB 1261 Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
6/25 S 1566 Authorizes the Conversion of Foreclosed Homes into Affordable Housing Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
6/19 S Amdt 2172 Rescinds Bonuses to States for Administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 58)
6/19 S Amdt 2174 Limits Eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56)
6/15 AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
6/13 S Amdt 2392 Reduces Funding for Food Stamps Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33)
6/12 S 2052 Homeless Bill of Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2)
6/05 SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
5/01 SB 79 Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
4/25 SB 2580 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
4/11 LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
4/09 SB 203 Establishes an Energy Assistance Program Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4)
3/29 HB 347 Reduces Unemployment Benefits Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17)
3/28 HB 2519 Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
3/27 HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15)
3/12 SB 1388 Job Training for Unemployed Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
3/07 SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
3/07 SB 312 Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
3/05 HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
3/05 SB 1495 Requires Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)

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