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
March 7, 2013 OR HB 2896 Prohibits The Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Bill Passed - House (38 - 18)
March 6, 2013 SD SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
March 6, 2013 OK SB 802 Prohibits the Sale of Electric Cigarettes to Minors Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 15)
March 5, 2013 WA HB 1404 Authorizes Immunity From Prosecution for Minors Who Report Underage Intoxication Bill Passed - House (72 - 24)
March 4, 2013 SD SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - House (43 - 23)
March 1, 2013 UT HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
Feb. 27, 2013 MT HB 391 Requires Parental Consent Prior to an Abortion for a Minor Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
Feb. 25, 2013 UT HB 103 Prohibits Minors From Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (48 - 22)
Feb. 22, 2013 SD HB 1214 Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (39 - 28)
Feb. 11, 2013 UT HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - House (41 - 30)
Feb. 7, 2013 MT HB 239 Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
Feb. 6, 2013 SD SB 107 Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Feb. 6, 2013 SD SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
Jan. 31, 2013 VA SB 975 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
Jan. 16, 2013 WY HB 23 Requires Juvenile Offenders to Be Eligible for Parole While Serving a Life Sentence Bill Passed - House (42 - 17)
Dec. 14, 2012 MI SB 756 Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (74 - 33)
Oct. 18, 2012 NJ A 1711 Increases Penalties for Failing to Secure a Child in a Car Seat Bill Passed - House (63 - 16)
Oct. 17, 2012 PA SB 850 Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Oct. 17, 2012 PA HB 815 Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 28, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA AB 1640 Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 26)
Aug. 22, 2012 CA AB 1640 Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Aug. 20, 2012 CA SB 9 Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 16, 2012 CA SB 9 Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders Bill Passed - House (41 - 34)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/07 HB 2896 Prohibits The Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Bill Passed - House (38 - 18)
3/06 SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
3/06 SB 802 Prohibits the Sale of Electric Cigarettes to Minors Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 15)
3/05 HB 1404 Authorizes Immunity From Prosecution for Minors Who Report Underage Intoxication Bill Passed - House (72 - 24)
3/04 SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - House (43 - 23)
3/01 HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
2/27 HB 391 Requires Parental Consent Prior to an Abortion for a Minor Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
2/25 HB 103 Prohibits Minors From Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (48 - 22)
2/22 HB 1214 Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (39 - 28)
2/11 HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - House (41 - 30)
2/07 HB 239 Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
2/06 SB 107 Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
2/06 SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
1/31 SB 975 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
1/16 HB 23 Requires Juvenile Offenders to Be Eligible for Parole While Serving a Life Sentence Bill Passed - House (42 - 17)
12/14 SB 756 Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (74 - 33)
10/18 A 1711 Increases Penalties for Failing to Secure a Child in a Car Seat Bill Passed - House (63 - 16)
10/17 SB 850 Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
10/17 HB 815 Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
8/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/28 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
8/27 AB 1640 Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 26)
8/22 AB 1640 Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
8/20 SB 9 Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/16 SB 9 Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders Bill Passed - House (41 - 34)

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