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. 18, 2014 WA SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - House (75 - 22)
Feb. 18, 2014 NM SB 347 Appropriates Funds to the Lottery Tuition Fund Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11)
Feb. 18, 2014 ID S 1254 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Firearms on College or University Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Feb. 11, 2014 MS S Amdt 7 Prohibits Abortion Counseling in Pregnancy Prevention Programs Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 23)
Feb. 11, 2014 MS SB 2563 Requires Universities to Develop a Plan of Action for Unplanned Pregnancies Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
Jan. 31, 2014 WA SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
Jan. 28, 2014 ME LD 1254 Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine Veto Override Failed - Senate (20 - 13)
Jan. 14, 2014 ME LD 1254 Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine Veto Override Passed - House (94 - 46)
July 24, 2013 National HR 1911 Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
July 24, 2013 National S Amdt 1778 Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
July 23, 2013 NC HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
July 23, 2013 NC HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 41)
July 2, 2013 OR HB 2456 Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15)
June 6, 2013 National S 1003 Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 57)
June 6, 2013 National S 953 Student Loan Affordability Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 46)
May 29, 2013 MI HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12)
May 28, 2013 ME LD 468 Prohibits Smoking on College Campuses Veto Override Failed - House (85 - 54)
May 28, 2013 MI HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43)
May 23, 2013 National HR 1911 Smarter Solutions for Students Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 198)
May 17, 2013 MN SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 56)
May 17, 2013 MN SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22)
May 7, 2013 NC HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (78 - 42)
May 6, 2013 TX HB 972 Authorizes Concealed Handguns on Higher Education Campuses Bill Passed - House (102 - 41)
May 1, 2013 MN SF 723 Authorizes In-State Tuition and Financial Aid for Undocumented College Students Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23)
May 1, 2013 IL SB 2202 Prohibits Smoking on State-Funded University and Community College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 22)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/18 SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - House (75 - 22)
2/18 SB 347 Appropriates Funds to the Lottery Tuition Fund Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11)
2/18 S 1254 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Firearms on College or University Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
2/11 S Amdt 7 Prohibits Abortion Counseling in Pregnancy Prevention Programs Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 23)
2/11 SB 2563 Requires Universities to Develop a Plan of Action for Unplanned Pregnancies Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
1/31 SB 6523 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
1/28 LD 1254 Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine Veto Override Failed - Senate (20 - 13)
1/14 LD 1254 Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine Veto Override Passed - House (94 - 46)
7/24 HR 1911 Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
7/24 S Amdt 1778 Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
7/23 HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
7/23 HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 41)
7/02 HB 2456 Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15)
6/06 S 1003 Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 57)
6/06 S 953 Student Loan Affordability Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 46)
5/29 HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12)
5/28 LD 468 Prohibits Smoking on College Campuses Veto Override Failed - House (85 - 54)
5/28 HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43)
5/23 HR 1911 Smarter Solutions for Students Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 198)
5/17 SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 56)
5/17 SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22)
5/07 HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (78 - 42)
5/06 HB 972 Authorizes Concealed Handguns on Higher Education Campuses Bill Passed - House (102 - 41)
5/01 SF 723 Authorizes In-State Tuition and Financial Aid for Undocumented College Students Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23)
5/01 SB 2202 Prohibits Smoking on State-Funded University and Community College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 22)

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