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, 2013 | DE | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| May 23, 2013 | NV | SJR 13 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - House (27 - 14) |
| May 14, 2013 | NV | SB 139 | Classifies Crimes Based on Gender Identity or Expression as Felonies | Bill Passed - House (30 - 11) |
| May 9, 2013 | CA | AB 1266 | Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities | Bill Passed - House (46 - 25) |
| May 9, 2013 | MN | HF 1054 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (75 - 59) |
| May 2, 2013 | RI | H 5015 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| April 23, 2013 | DE | HB 75 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (23 - 18) |
| April 10, 2013 | MT | SB 107 | Amends Sexual Conduct Laws | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| March 12, 2013 | CO | SB 11 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | National | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 138) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | CO | HB 1081 | Expands Sexual Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| Jan. 30, 2013 | WY | HB 168 | Authorizes Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Failed - House (25 - 34) |
| Jan. 24, 2013 | RI | H 5015 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| Aug. 28, 2012 | CA | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| July 19, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1416 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166) |
| May 16, 2012 | National | HR 4970 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (222 - 205) |
| May 9, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1096 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171) |
| April 30, 2012 | CA | AB 1960 | Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| April 30, 2012 | NY | A 5039 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - House (81 - 59) |
| March 21, 2012 | NH | HB 437 | Repeals Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (211 - 116) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | H Amdt 141 | Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship | Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | VA | SB 349 | Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | MD | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (72 - 67) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | NJ | S 1 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | WA | SB 6239 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/18 | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| 5/23 | SJR 13 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - House (27 - 14) |
| 5/14 | SB 139 | Classifies Crimes Based on Gender Identity or Expression as Felonies | Bill Passed - House (30 - 11) |
| 5/09 | AB 1266 | Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities | Bill Passed - House (46 - 25) |
| 5/09 | HF 1054 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (75 - 59) |
| 5/02 | H 5015 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| 4/23 | HB 75 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (23 - 18) |
| 4/10 | SB 107 | Amends Sexual Conduct Laws | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| 3/12 | SB 11 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
| 2/28 | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 138) |
| 2/21 | HB 1081 | Expands Sexual Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| 1/30 | HB 168 | Authorizes Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Failed - House (25 - 34) |
| 1/24 | H 5015 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| 8/28 | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| 7/19 | H Amdt 1416 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166) |
| 5/16 | HR 4970 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (222 - 205) |
| 5/09 | H Amdt 1096 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171) |
| 4/30 | AB 1960 | Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| 4/30 | A 5039 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - House (81 - 59) |
| 3/21 | HB 437 | Repeals Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (211 - 116) |
| 2/28 | H Amdt 141 | Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship | Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33) |
| 2/22 | SB 349 | Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
| 2/17 | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (72 - 67) |
| 2/16 | S 1 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| 2/08 | SB 6239 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |