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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2013 | MI | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 25, 2013 | TX | SB 1 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 23, 2013 | ME | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 23, 2013 | ME | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 23, 2013 | National | S Amdt 923 | Prohibits the Payment of the Premium for an Insurance Policy For Tobacco | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 52) |
| May 22, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| May 22, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| May 19, 2013 | MN | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 26) |
| May 19, 2013 | MN | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |
| May 18, 2013 | MN | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 28) |
| May 17, 2013 | MN | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22) |
| May 14, 2013 | OK | HB 2301 | 2014-2015 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| May 8, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| May 6, 2013 | OK | SB 652 | Increases Driver's License Fees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| May 1, 2013 | IL | SB 1739 | Expands State Casino Development | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20) |
| April 30, 2013 | IA | HF 638 | Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 30, 2013 | MI | SB 197 | Requires the State Prison Food Service To Seek Competitive Bids From Private Entities | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| April 29, 2013 | FL | SB 306 | Authorizes Professional Sports Teams to Bid for State Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4) |
| April 27, 2013 | IN | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 11) |
| April 25, 2013 | MN | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| April 25, 2013 | MN | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 28) |
| April 24, 2013 | AL | SB 191 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| April 23, 2013 | OR | SB 833 | Authorizes Drivers Licenses for Individuals Without Legal Proof of US Residence | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| April 18, 2013 | IA | HF 604 | 2013-2014 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 18, 2013 | MT | HB 377 | Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/29 | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/25 | SB 1 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 5/23 | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 5/23 | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 923 | Prohibits the Payment of the Premium for an Insurance Policy For Tobacco | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 52) |
| 5/22 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 5/22 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 5/19 | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 26) |
| 5/19 | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |
| 5/18 | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 28) |
| 5/17 | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22) |
| 5/14 | HB 2301 | 2014-2015 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| 5/08 | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 5/06 | SB 652 | Increases Driver's License Fees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 5/01 | SB 1739 | Expands State Casino Development | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20) |
| 4/30 | HF 638 | Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 4/30 | SB 197 | Requires the State Prison Food Service To Seek Competitive Bids From Private Entities | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 4/29 | SB 306 | Authorizes Professional Sports Teams to Bid for State Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4) |
| 4/27 | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 4/25 | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| 4/25 | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 28) |
| 4/24 | SB 191 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 4/23 | SB 833 | Authorizes Drivers Licenses for Individuals Without Legal Proof of US Residence | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 4/18 | HF 604 | 2013-2014 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 4/18 | HB 377 | Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |