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
May 19, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
May 8, 2013 AZ HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
April 22, 2013 ND HCR 3047 Establishes a Commission of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21)
April 18, 2013 CT HB 6648 Authorizes University Board of Regents to Appoint President of the Board Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
April 16, 2013 MT HB 13 Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
April 16, 2013 MN SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
April 5, 2013 KS HB 2234 Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 13)
March 27, 2013 KS HB 2234 Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
March 19, 2013 TX SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
March 13, 2013 KS HB 2019 Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Feb. 26, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 41)
Feb. 26, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (71 - 27)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Feb. 14, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40)
Jan. 30, 2013 KS SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Jan. 29, 2013 WI SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
Jan. 25, 2013 WY SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
March 7, 2012 FL HB 971 Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S Amdt 1491 Requires Disclosure of Financial Transactions by Executive Branch Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Jan. 26, 2012 National H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Sept. 9, 2011 CA SB 292 Authorizes Governor to Expedite Environmental Review Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
June 23, 2011 National S Amdt 499 Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
April 13, 2011 AZ HB 2177 Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Presidential Candidates Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/19 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
5/08 HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
4/22 HCR 3047 Establishes a Commission of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21)
4/18 HB 6648 Authorizes University Board of Regents to Appoint President of the Board Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
4/16 HB 13 Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
4/16 SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
4/05 HB 2234 Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 13)
3/27 HB 2234 Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
3/19 SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
3/13 HB 2019 Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
2/26 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 41)
2/26 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (71 - 27)
2/22 SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/22 SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
2/14 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40)
1/30 SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
1/29 SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
1/25 SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
3/07 HB 971 Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
2/02 S Amdt 1491 Requires Disclosure of Financial Transactions by Executive Branch Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
1/26 H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
9/09 SB 292 Authorizes Governor to Expedite Environmental Review Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
6/23 S Amdt 499 Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
4/13 HB 2177 Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Presidential Candidates Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)

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