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
May 7, 2013 CO SB 251 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 3, 2013 CO HB 1154 Establishes Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Pregnant Women Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
May 2, 2013 NH HB 443 Prohibits Contracts with Private Entities for Inmate Custody "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (13 - 11)
May 2, 2013 MO HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
May 2, 2013 CA SB 649 Classifies Certain Drug Infractions as Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 2, 2013 DE SB 16 Requires Gun Owners to Report Missing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10)
May 2, 2013 CA SB 501 Requires Social Networking Sites to Remove Personal Identifying Information Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
May 1, 2013 IA HF 527 Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
May 1, 2013 MN SF 723 Authorizes In-State Tuition and Financial Aid for Undocumented College Students Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23)
April 30, 2013 OK SB 1062 Amends State Worker's Compensation Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
April 30, 2013 AZ SB 1439 Authorizes the Use of Gold and Silver as Legal Tender Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
April 30, 2013 IA HF 638 Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
April 30, 2013 DE SB 21 Requires the Governor to Appoint Labor Union Representatives to a State Benefits Committee Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8)
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 30, 2013 ME SP 550 Alleges Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
April 30, 2013 AL SB 93 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
April 27, 2013 IN HB 1001 2013-2015 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 11)
April 26, 2013 IN HB 1006 Amends the Criminal Code Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 15)
April 26, 2013 IN SB 373 Prohibits Unauthorized Entry on Industrial or Agricultural Property Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21)
April 26, 2013 IN SB 373 Prohibits Unauthorized Entry on Industrial or Agricultural Property Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21)
April 25, 2013 MN HF 1233 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28)
April 25, 2013 MI SB 288 Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
April 25, 2013 IL SB 2187 Authorizes Psychologists to Prescribe Drugs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 10)
April 24, 2013 IL SB 923 Authorizes the Use of Traffic Cameras on School Buses Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
April 23, 2013 MT HB 297 Prohibits the Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/07 SB 251 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/03 HB 1154 Establishes Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Pregnant Women Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
5/02 HB 443 Prohibits Contracts with Private Entities for Inmate Custody "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (13 - 11)
5/02 HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
5/02 SB 649 Classifies Certain Drug Infractions as Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/02 SB 16 Requires Gun Owners to Report Missing Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10)
5/02 SB 501 Requires Social Networking Sites to Remove Personal Identifying Information Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
5/01 HF 527 Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
5/01 SF 723 Authorizes In-State Tuition and Financial Aid for Undocumented College Students Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23)
4/30 SB 1062 Amends State Worker's Compensation Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
4/30 SB 1439 Authorizes the Use of Gold and Silver as Legal Tender Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
4/30 HF 638 Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
4/30 SB 21 Requires the Governor to Appoint Labor Union Representatives to a State Benefits Committee Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8)
4/30 SB 197 Requires the State Prison Food Service To Seek Competitive Bids From Private Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
4/30 SP 550 Alleges Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
4/30 SB 93 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
4/27 HB 1001 2013-2015 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 11)
4/26 HB 1006 Amends the Criminal Code Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 15)
4/26 SB 373 Prohibits Unauthorized Entry on Industrial or Agricultural Property Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21)
4/26 SB 373 Prohibits Unauthorized Entry on Industrial or Agricultural Property Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21)
4/25 HF 1233 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28)
4/25 SB 288 Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
4/25 SB 2187 Authorizes Psychologists to Prescribe Drugs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 10)
4/24 SB 923 Authorizes the Use of Traffic Cameras on School Buses Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
4/23 HB 297 Prohibits the Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21)

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