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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 8, 2013 | ND | HB 1305 | Prohibits Sex and Genetic Selective Abortions | Bill Passed - House (64 - 27) |
| Feb. 7, 2013 | MT | HB 239 | Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| Feb. 7, 2013 | ND | SB 2305 | Requires Physicians Performing Abortions to Have a State License | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| Feb. 4, 2013 | AR | HB 1100 | Prohibits Abortion Coverage on the State Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - House (77 - 15) |
| Feb. 4, 2013 | AR | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Bill Passed - House (75 - 20) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | AR | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Dec. 14, 2012 | MI | HB 5711 | Increases Requirements on Facilities that Provide Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| Dec. 14, 2012 | MI | HB 5711 | Increases Requirements on Facilities that Provide Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 35) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1640 | Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 26) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 2348 | Authorizes Registered Nurses to Dispense Contraceptives | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | AB 2348 | Authorizes Registered Nurses to Dispense Contraceptives | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | AB 1640 | Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| July 31, 2012 | National | HR 3803 | District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act | Bill Failed - House (220 - 154) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | HB 1679 | Prohibits Partial Birth/Late Term Abortions | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | HB 1679 | Prohibits Partial Birth/Late Term Abortions | Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 118) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | HB 217 | Prohibits Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Veto Override Failed - House (201 - 126) |
| June 21, 2012 | NJ | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - House (41 - 33) |
| June 7, 2012 | National | HR 5855 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2013 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 182) |
| May 31, 2012 | LA | SB 708 | Amends Abortion Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
| May 31, 2012 | NJ | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 31, 2012 | National | HR 3541 | Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) of 2012 | Bill Failed - House (246 - 168) |
| May 30, 2012 | NH | HB 217 | Prohibits Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (210 - 108) |
| May 16, 2012 | NH | HB 217 | Prohibits Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| May 8, 2012 | AL | SB 10 | Prohibits Insurance from Providing Coverage for Abortions | Bill Passed - House (76 - 28) |
| May 7, 2012 | KS | SB 313 | Prohibits Certain Abortion-Related Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (88 - 31) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/08 | HB 1305 | Prohibits Sex and Genetic Selective Abortions | Bill Passed - House (64 - 27) |
| 2/07 | HB 239 | Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| 2/07 | SB 2305 | Requires Physicians Performing Abortions to Have a State License | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 2/04 | HB 1100 | Prohibits Abortion Coverage on the State Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - House (77 - 15) |
| 2/04 | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Bill Passed - House (75 - 20) |
| 1/31 | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 12/14 | HB 5711 | Increases Requirements on Facilities that Provide Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 12/14 | HB 5711 | Increases Requirements on Facilities that Provide Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 35) |
| 8/27 | AB 1640 | Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 26) |
| 8/27 | AB 2348 | Authorizes Registered Nurses to Dispense Contraceptives | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| 8/22 | AB 2348 | Authorizes Registered Nurses to Dispense Contraceptives | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 8/22 | AB 1640 | Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 7/31 | HR 3803 | District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act | Bill Failed - House (220 - 154) |
| 6/27 | HB 1679 | Prohibits Partial Birth/Late Term Abortions | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| 6/27 | HB 1679 | Prohibits Partial Birth/Late Term Abortions | Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 118) |
| 6/27 | HB 217 | Prohibits Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Veto Override Failed - House (201 - 126) |
| 6/21 | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - House (41 - 33) |
| 6/07 | HR 5855 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2013 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 182) |
| 5/31 | SB 708 | Amends Abortion Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
| 5/31 | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 5/31 | HR 3541 | Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) of 2012 | Bill Failed - House (246 - 168) |
| 5/30 | HB 217 | Prohibits Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (210 - 108) |
| 5/16 | HB 217 | Prohibits Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| 5/08 | SB 10 | Prohibits Insurance from Providing Coverage for Abortions | Bill Passed - House (76 - 28) |
| 5/07 | SB 313 | Prohibits Certain Abortion-Related Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (88 - 31) |