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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2013 | CT | HB 5277 | Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| June 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 121 | Delays National Flood Insurance Premiums Increases | Amendment Adopted - House (281 - 146) |
| June 4, 2013 | OR | SB 692 | Requires Certain Electronics to Meet Energy Efficiency Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| June 4, 2013 | National | H Amdt 84 | Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba | Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254) |
| June 2, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12) |
| May 30, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
| May 30, 2013 | OR | SB 692 | Requires Certain Electronics to Meet Energy Efficiency Standards | Bill Passed - House (40 - 19) |
| May 30, 2013 | WA | HB 2064 | Amends Estate Tax Laws | Bill Passed - House (51 - 40) |
| May 29, 2013 | CT | HB 6495 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| May 29, 2013 | CA | SB 391 | Establishes Real Estate Transaction Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| May 29, 2013 | CA | AB 60 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| May 28, 2013 | ME | LD 468 | Prohibits Smoking on College Campuses | Veto Override Failed - House (85 - 54) |
| May 28, 2013 | IL | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 48) |
| May 28, 2013 | NV | SB 165 | Authorizes Film Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| May 27, 2013 | NV | SB 303 | Authorizes Driver Authorization Cards for Non-Citizens | Bill Passed - House (30 - 9) |
| May 24, 2013 | CA | SB 648 | Prohibits the Use of Electronic Cigarettes in Certain Public Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| May 23, 2013 | IL | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20) |
| 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 23, 2013 | National | S Amdt 953 | Limits Subsidy Payments for Individuals with Incomes More Than $750,000 | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 33) |
| May 23, 2013 | National | HR 1911 | Smarter Solutions for Students Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 198) |
| May 22, 2013 | IL | SB 9 | Increases Utility Rates | Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 41) |
| May 22, 2013 | OH | HB 7 | Prohibits Internet Cafes | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| May 22, 2013 | IL | SB 2356 | Increases Speed Limit on Non-Urban Highways | Bill Passed - House (85 - 30) |
| May 22, 2013 | CT | HB 6495 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (74 - 55) |
| May 21, 2013 | IL | SB 9 | Increases Utility Rates | Veto Override Passed - Senate (44 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/05 | HB 5277 | Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 6/05 | H Amdt 121 | Delays National Flood Insurance Premiums Increases | Amendment Adopted - House (281 - 146) |
| 6/04 | SB 692 | Requires Certain Electronics to Meet Energy Efficiency Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 6/04 | H Amdt 84 | Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba | Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254) |
| 6/02 | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12) |
| 5/30 | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 5/30 | SB 692 | Requires Certain Electronics to Meet Energy Efficiency Standards | Bill Passed - House (40 - 19) |
| 5/30 | HB 2064 | Amends Estate Tax Laws | Bill Passed - House (51 - 40) |
| 5/29 | HB 6495 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 5/29 | SB 391 | Establishes Real Estate Transaction Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 5/29 | AB 60 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| 5/28 | LD 468 | Prohibits Smoking on College Campuses | Veto Override Failed - House (85 - 54) |
| 5/28 | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 48) |
| 5/28 | SB 165 | Authorizes Film Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| 5/27 | SB 303 | Authorizes Driver Authorization Cards for Non-Citizens | Bill Passed - House (30 - 9) |
| 5/24 | SB 648 | Prohibits the Use of Electronic Cigarettes in Certain Public Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 5/23 | HB 1247 | Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 923 | Prohibits the Payment of the Premium for an Insurance Policy For Tobacco | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 52) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 953 | Limits Subsidy Payments for Individuals with Incomes More Than $750,000 | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 33) |
| 5/23 | HR 1911 | Smarter Solutions for Students Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 198) |
| 5/22 | SB 9 | Increases Utility Rates | Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 41) |
| 5/22 | HB 7 | Prohibits Internet Cafes | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 5/22 | SB 2356 | Increases Speed Limit on Non-Urban Highways | Bill Passed - House (85 - 30) |
| 5/22 | HB 6495 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (74 - 55) |
| 5/21 | SB 9 | Increases Utility Rates | Veto Override Passed - Senate (44 - 11) |