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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |