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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2013 | PA | HB 1075 | Amends Public Welfare Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 94) |
| June 28, 2013 | National | HR 2231 | Offshore Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 186) |
| June 20, 2013 | National | H Amdt 231 | Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198) |
| June 20, 2013 | National | H Amdt 227 | Amends the Federal Sugar Program | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 221) |
| June 20, 2013 | National | HR 1947 | Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 | Bill Failed - House (195 - 234) |
| June 20, 2013 | National | HR 1947 | Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 | Bill Failed - House (195 - 234) |
| June 19, 2013 | National | H Amdt 176 | Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234) |
| June 19, 2013 | National | H Amdt 176 | Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234) |
| June 18, 2013 | WI | AB 40 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (55 - 42) |
| June 13, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| June 13, 2013 | MI | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (76 - 31) |
| June 6, 2013 | National | HR 2217 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 182) |
| May 28, 2013 | MI | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43) |
| May 27, 2013 | IL | SB 26 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (63 - 55) |
| May 27, 2013 | IL | SB 26 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (63 - 55) |
| May 26, 2013 | TX | SB 1 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (118 - 29) |
| May 23, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 17) |
| May 23, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 17) |
| May 22, 2013 | ME | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - House (87 - 56) |
| May 22, 2013 | ME | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - House (87 - 56) |
| May 21, 2013 | KS | HB 2162 | Prohibits State Funds from Being Used to Lobby for Firearm Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 28) |
| May 18, 2013 | MN | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 56) |
| May 17, 2013 | MN | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 56) |
| May 17, 2013 | MN | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 61) |
| May 17, 2013 | MN | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62) |
| May 9, 2013 | MO | HB 19 | Appropriates Funds for Capitol Renovations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (111 - 42) |
| May 9, 2013 | National | HR 807 | Full Faith and Credit Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 207) |
| May 9, 2013 | OK | HB 2301 | 2014-2015 Budget | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| May 7, 2013 | OK | HB 2077 | Establishes an Optional Defined Contribution Plan for New State Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 20) |
| May 7, 2013 | TX | HB 928 | Prohibits State Funds from Being Used for the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (101 - 31) |
| May 2, 2013 | ND | HB 1319 | Amends School Funding Laws | Conference Report Adopted - House (49 - 42) |
| May 2, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Bill Passed - House (62 - 51) |
| May 2, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Bill Passed - House (62 - 51) |
| May 1, 2013 | OK | HB 1910 | Amends State Property Sale Procedures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 23) |
| May 1, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| May 1, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| April 30, 2013 | HI | SB 1084 | Authorizes the Use of Public Funds for Private Preschools | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 14) |
| April 30, 2013 | OR | SB 833 | Authorizes Drivers Licenses for Individuals Without Legal Proof of US Residence | Bill Passed - House (38 - 20) |
| April 27, 2013 | IN | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 30) |
| April 25, 2013 | MN | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Bill Passed - House (86 - 44) |
| April 24, 2013 | OK | SB 652 | Increases Driver's License Fees | Bill Passed - House (53 - 42) |
| April 24, 2013 | OR | SB 822 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| April 24, 2013 | MT | SB 81 | Establishes Tax Deductions for Donations to Educational Charities | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| April 24, 2013 | OR | SB 822 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| April 24, 2013 | MA | H 3401 | 2013-2014 Budget | Bill Passed - House (127 - 29) |
| April 23, 2013 | MT | HB 377 | Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| April 23, 2013 | IA | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| April 23, 2013 | MN | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (83 - 50) |
| April 22, 2013 | MN | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (70 - 64) |
| April 20, 2013 | MT | HB 13 | Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 33) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/01 | HB 1075 | Amends Public Welfare Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 94) |
| 6/28 | HR 2231 | Offshore Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 186) |
| 6/20 | H Amdt 231 | Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198) |
| 6/20 | H Amdt 227 | Amends the Federal Sugar Program | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 221) |
| 6/20 | HR 1947 | Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 | Bill Failed - House (195 - 234) |
| 6/20 | HR 1947 | Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 | Bill Failed - House (195 - 234) |
| 6/19 | H Amdt 176 | Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234) |
| 6/19 | H Amdt 176 | Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234) |
| 6/18 | AB 40 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (55 - 42) |
| 6/13 | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| 6/13 | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (76 - 31) |
| 6/06 | HR 2217 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 182) |
| 5/28 | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43) |
| 5/27 | SB 26 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (63 - 55) |
| 5/27 | SB 26 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (63 - 55) |
| 5/26 | SB 1 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (118 - 29) |
| 5/23 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 17) |
| 5/23 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 17) |
| 5/22 | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - House (87 - 56) |
| 5/22 | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - House (87 - 56) |
| 5/21 | HB 2162 | Prohibits State Funds from Being Used to Lobby for Firearm Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 28) |
| 5/18 | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 56) |
| 5/17 | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 56) |
| 5/17 | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 61) |
| 5/17 | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62) |
| 5/09 | HB 19 | Appropriates Funds for Capitol Renovations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (111 - 42) |
| 5/09 | HR 807 | Full Faith and Credit Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 207) |
| 5/09 | HB 2301 | 2014-2015 Budget | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| 5/07 | HB 2077 | Establishes an Optional Defined Contribution Plan for New State Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 20) |
| 5/07 | HB 928 | Prohibits State Funds from Being Used for the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (101 - 31) |
| 5/02 | HB 1319 | Amends School Funding Laws | Conference Report Adopted - House (49 - 42) |
| 5/02 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Bill Passed - House (62 - 51) |
| 5/02 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Bill Passed - House (62 - 51) |
| 5/01 | HB 1910 | Amends State Property Sale Procedures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 23) |
| 5/01 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 5/01 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 4/30 | SB 1084 | Authorizes the Use of Public Funds for Private Preschools | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 14) |
| 4/30 | SB 833 | Authorizes Drivers Licenses for Individuals Without Legal Proof of US Residence | Bill Passed - House (38 - 20) |
| 4/27 | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 30) |
| 4/25 | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Bill Passed - House (86 - 44) |
| 4/24 | SB 652 | Increases Driver's License Fees | Bill Passed - House (53 - 42) |
| 4/24 | SB 822 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| 4/24 | SB 81 | Establishes Tax Deductions for Donations to Educational Charities | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| 4/24 | SB 822 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| 4/24 | H 3401 | 2013-2014 Budget | Bill Passed - House (127 - 29) |
| 4/23 | HB 377 | Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| 4/23 | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| 4/23 | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (83 - 50) |
| 4/22 | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (70 - 64) |
| 4/20 | HB 13 | Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 33) |