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
Feb. 16, 2015 NV SB 119 Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9)
Feb. 11, 2015 MS SB 2389 Authorizes Joining Interstate Compact for a Balanced Federal Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
Feb. 11, 2015 WY SF 145 Appropriates Funds for Uncompensated Charity Care Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
Feb. 10, 2015 IA SF 171 Amends Growth Percentage for Budget Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24)
Feb. 9, 2015 CO SB 65 Prohibits Withdrawing Public Assistance Funds at Certain Places Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 4, 2015 NC SB 14 Transfers Funds to Rules Review Commission for Litigation Expenses Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11)
Dec. 10, 2014 MI HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Dec. 10, 2014 MI SB 275 Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Oct. 23, 2014 NJ A 939 Amends Tax Expenditure Report Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
Sept. 18, 2014 National H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
Sept. 18, 2014 National H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
Aug. 29, 2014 CA AB 1522 Requires Paid Sick Leave for Employees Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
July 31, 2014 National HR 5021 Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 (81 - 13)
July 29, 2014 National HR 5021 Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014  Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 18)
July 29, 2014 National S Amdt 3583 Appropriates Funds to the Highway Trust Fund Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 31)
July 29, 2014 National S Amdt 3584 Transportation Empowerment Act Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 69)
July 29, 2014 National S Amdt 3585 Exempts Infrastructure Damaged by Natural Disasters from Environmental Reviews Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50)
July 28, 2014 NC HB 1181 Establishes Commercial Managed Care for Medicaid Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
June 26, 2014 NJ S 2264 Authorizes Additional Teacher Pension Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
June 25, 2014 DE SB 220 Appropriates Funds for State Casino Relief Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
June 16, 2014 RI H 7133AAA 2014-2015 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
June 15, 2014 CA SB 852 2014-2015 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11)
June 12, 2014 MA H 4111 Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
June 5, 2014 RI S 2796A Establishes Preference In State and Business Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
June 4, 2014 OH HB 483 Reduces State Income Tax Rates Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 7)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/16 SB 119 Exempts Schools from Paying Prevailing Wages Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9)
2/11 SB 2389 Authorizes Joining Interstate Compact for a Balanced Federal Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
2/11 SF 145 Appropriates Funds for Uncompensated Charity Care Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
2/10 SF 171 Amends Growth Percentage for Budget Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24)
2/09 SB 65 Prohibits Withdrawing Public Assistance Funds at Certain Places Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/04 SB 14 Transfers Funds to Rules Review Commission for Litigation Expenses Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11)
12/10 HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
12/10 SB 275 Requires Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
10/23 A 939 Amends Tax Expenditure Report Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
9/18 H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
9/18 H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
8/29 AB 1522 Requires Paid Sick Leave for Employees Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
7/31 HR 5021 Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 (81 - 13)
7/29 HR 5021 Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014  Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 18)
7/29 S Amdt 3583 Appropriates Funds to the Highway Trust Fund Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 31)
7/29 S Amdt 3584 Transportation Empowerment Act Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 69)
7/29 S Amdt 3585 Exempts Infrastructure Damaged by Natural Disasters from Environmental Reviews Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50)
7/28 HB 1181 Establishes Commercial Managed Care for Medicaid Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
6/26 S 2264 Authorizes Additional Teacher Pension Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
6/25 SB 220 Appropriates Funds for State Casino Relief Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
6/16 H 7133AAA 2014-2015 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
6/15 SB 852 2014-2015 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11)
6/12 H 4111 Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
6/05 S 2796A Establishes Preference In State and Business Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
6/04 HB 483 Reduces State Income Tax Rates Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 7)

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