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 18, 2014 | NY | A 8769A | Prohibits Workplace Discrimination Based on Reproductive Health Decisions | Bill Passed - House (106 - 30) |
| June 16, 2014 | NJ | S 1038 | Requires Public Contractors to Report Certain Employment Information | Bill Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| June 16, 2014 | NJ | S 783 | Amends the Definition of an Unlawful Employment Practice | Bill Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| May 14, 2014 | NH | SB 390 | Prohibits an Employer from Discriminating Against a Victim of Domestic Violence | Bill Passed - House (190 - 137) |
| May 7, 2014 | MN | HF 2536 | Increases Equal Pay and Establishes Certain Workplace Protections for Employees | Conference Report Adopted - House (104 - 24) |
| April 30, 2014 | SC | H 3435 | Amends Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| April 10, 2014 | IL | HB 8 | Requires Accommodations for Pregnant Workers | Bill Passed - House (65 - 36) |
| April 9, 2014 | TN | SB 1391 | Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant | Bill Passed - House (64 - 30) |
| Feb. 28, 2014 | KY | HB 351 | Authorizes Temporary Concealed Weapons Permits for Domestic Violence Victims | Bill Passed - House (79 - 13) |
| Feb. 10, 2014 | SD | HB 1158 | Establishes a Prenatal Care Program for Non-Citizen Individuals | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| Jan. 27, 2014 | NY | A 8070 | Requires Equal Pay | Bill Passed - House (88 - 43) |
| June 14, 2013 | National | HR 1960 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 | Bill Passed - House (315 - 108) |
| June 13, 2013 | WI | AB 216 | Prohibits State Health Insurance Plan from Covering Abortions | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| June 3, 2013 | LA | SB 153 | Requires Equal Pay for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (86 - 12) |
| May 24, 2013 | TX | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 61) |
| May 16, 2013 | NC | HB 730 | Amends Abortion Laws | Bill Passed - House (73 - 39) |
| May 16, 2013 | NC | HB 730 | Amends Abortion Laws | Bill Passed - House (73 - 39) |
| April 23, 2013 | NV | AB 230 | Amends State Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| April 18, 2013 | NV | AB 284 | Authorizes Early Terminations of Rental Agreements by Victims of Domestic Violence | Bill Passed - House (28 - 11) |
| April 17, 2013 | IL | HB 2675 | Expands Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (66 - 52) |
| March 19, 2013 | AR | SB 417 | Classifies the Death of a Fetus as a Felony in Certain Cases | Bill Passed - House (76 - 10) |
| March 18, 2013 | CO | HB 1154 | Establishes Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Pregnant Women | Bill Passed - House (50 - 14) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | National | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 138) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | National | H Amdt 23 | Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act | Amendment Rejected - House (166 - 257) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | SD | HB 1214 | Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (39 - 28) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | CO | HB 1081 | Expands Sexual Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| Feb. 15, 2013 | UT | HB 50 | Expands Protective Orders to Dating Relationships | Bill Passed - House (61 - 11) |
| Feb. 12, 2013 | ID | H 62 | Expands Sales Tax Exemptions For Health-Related Entities | Bill Passed - House (58 - 12) |
| Feb. 7, 2013 | MT | HB 239 | Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 2348 | Authorizes Registered Nurses to Dispense Contraceptives | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1640 | Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 26) |
| June 26, 2012 | SC | H 4497 | Authorizes Information On and Access to the HPV Vaccine | Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 47) |
| June 21, 2012 | NJ | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - House (41 - 33) |
| May 16, 2012 | National | HR 4970 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (222 - 205) |
| May 7, 2012 | MO | Amdt 1 | Rescinds Funding for the Sue Shear Institute | Amendment Adopted - House (93 - 59) |
| April 27, 2012 | TN | SB 3310 | Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools | Bill Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| April 19, 2012 | AZ | HB 2625 | Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception | Conference Report Adopted - House (36 - 21) |
| March 29, 2012 | KS | SB 62 | Authorizes Medical Professionals and Facilities to Not Provide Referrals for Abortions or Sterilizations | Bill Passed - House (95 - 29) |
| March 29, 2012 | MO | HB 1541 | Provides Exemptions on Participating in Certain Medical Procedures. | Bill Passed - House (113 - 41) |
| March 23, 2012 | ID | SJM 104 | Urging Congress to Repeal Insurance Coverage of Contraception | Joint Resolution Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| March 19, 2012 | CO | HB 1130 | Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| March 13, 2012 | WI | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (60 - 34) |
| March 7, 2012 | NH | HB 1546 | Authorizes Employers to Not Provide Contraception Coverage in Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - House (196 - 150) |
| March 1, 2012 | SD | SB 141 | Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse | Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | HB 2625 | Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception | Bill Passed - House (39 - 18) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | H Amdt 141 | Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship | Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | SB 141 | Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | WY | HJR 7 | Requests the President to Repeal the Rule Requiring Coverage of Contraception | Joint Resolution Passed - House (40 - 17) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | VA | SB 484 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | NH | HR 29 | Urges Repeal of Rule Requiring Health Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives | Resolution Passed - House (227 - 121) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | UT | HB 363 | Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | UT | SB 32 | Breast Cancer Screening | Bill Passed - House (66 - 6) |
| Jan. 27, 2012 | VA | HB 1112 | Repeals HPV Vaccine Requirement | Bill Passed - House (62 - 34) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | CA | SB 222 | Relating to Individual Health Care Coverage for Maternity Services | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| March 29, 2011 | SC | H 3408 | Freedom of Conscience Act | Bill Passed - House (69 - 41) |
| March 17, 2011 | AR | HB 1936 | Dress Codes for Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (73 - 19) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | MT | HB 456 | Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | National | H Amdt 95 | Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | National | H Amdt 95 | Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185) |
| Feb. 11, 2011 | ND | HB 1450 | Definition of Human Being | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | WY | HB 256 | Tenant Rights in Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | SD | HB 1061 | Regulation of Registered Midwives | Bill Passed - House (37 - 32) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | WY | HB 251 | Requires Ultrasound Prior to Abortion | Bill Passed - House (34 - 25) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | SD | HB 1061 | Regulation of Registered Midwives | Bill Failed - House (36 - 31) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | WY | HB 198 | Admissibility of Evidence in Sex Offense Cases | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
| Sept. 22, 2010 | National | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
| Aug. 26, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| Aug. 26, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| June 29, 2010 | NJ | S 2139 | 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (42 - 22) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| May 24, 2010 | OK | HB 3284 | Requiring Women Seeking Abortions to Answer Questionnaire | Veto Override Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| May 4, 2010 | CO | HB 1021 | Health Insurance Policy Coverage For Reproductive Services | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 28) |
| April 30, 2010 | FL | HB 1143 | Pre-Abortion Ultrasounds Requirement and Health Care Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (76 - 44) |