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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 25, 2013 | SD | SB 115 | Increases Commercial Fertilizer Inspection Fee | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| March 25, 2013 | WA | SB 5802 | Authorizes a Carbon Emissions Reduction Study | Bill Passed - House (61 - 32) |
| March 25, 2013 | OR | SB 602 | Prohibits Motorized Boats and Seaplanes on Waldo Lake | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| March 21, 2013 | IL | SB 9 | Increases Utility Rates | Bill Passed - House (86 - 28) |
| March 21, 2013 | MT | HB 247 | Authorizes Salvage of Game Killed By Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| March 19, 2013 | PA | SB 644 | Amends the Definition of "Wild Animal" | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| March 18, 2013 | MD | HB 226 | Establishes Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 48) |
| March 14, 2013 | IL | SB 9 | Increases Utility Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 9) |
| March 13, 2013 | UT | HB 96 | Extends Tax Credits for Certain Vehicles | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 12) |
| March 13, 2013 | OK | HB 1412 | Prohibits Compliance with United Nations Agenda 21/Sustainable Development | Bill Passed - House (67 - 17) |
| March 13, 2013 | WA | SB 5802 | Authorizes a Carbon Emissions Reduction Study | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| March 12, 2013 | MI | SB 48 | Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| March 8, 2013 | MD | HB 226 | Establishes Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| March 8, 2013 | WA | SB 5187 | Authorizes Livestock Owners to Dispatch Gray Wolves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| March 7, 2013 | MI | SB 48 | Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears | Bill Passed - House (56 - 52) |
| March 7, 2013 | WI | SB 1 | Amends Wisconsin's Iron-Ore Mining Regulations | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| March 7, 2013 | WI | SB 1 | Amends Wisconsin's Iron-Ore Mining Regulations | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| March 5, 2013 | MI | SB 78 | Removes Biodiversity and Restoration as Forest Management Goals for Department of Natural Resources | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| March 4, 2013 | AK | HB 77 | Authorizes Natural Resources Commissioner to Issue General Permits | Bill Passed - House (31 - 6) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MO | HJR 11 | Establishes the Constitutional Right to Farm | Joint Resolution Passed - House (110 - 41) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 82 | Extends Renewable Energy Requirements for Utilities | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 23) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | WI | SB 1 | Amends Wisconsin's Iron-Ore Mining Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | WI | SB 1 | Amends Wisconsin's Iron-Ore Mining Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | UT | SB 109 | Authorizes the State Engineer to Manage Water Usage | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | NM | HB 316 | Prohibits Animal Killing Contests | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | MT | HB 396 | Requires County Board Approval for Bison Relocation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | MS | HB 844 | Exempts Certain Sales Taxes for Agricultural Businesses | Bill Passed - House (75 - 43) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | MS | HB 844 | Exempts Certain Sales Taxes for Agricultural Businesses | Bill Passed - House (75 - 43) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | MT | HB 205 | Authorizes Use of Suppressors for Hunting | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | MD | HB 226 | Establishes Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits | Bill Passed - House (86 - 48) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | OK | HB 1999 | Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses | Bill Passed - House (82 - 14) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | OK | SB 375 | Authorizes the International Sale of Horse Meat for Human Consumption | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | AK | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | AK | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | SD | SB 195 | Establishes Incentives for Wind Energy Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 18, 2013 | NM | SB 73 | Amends Game and Fish License Suspension Periods | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 18, 2013 | NM | HB 63 | Prohibits Breed-Specific Dog Regulations | Bill Passed - House (48 - 14) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | KY | SB 50 | Authorizes Industrial Hemp Farming | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | MI | SB 48 | Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| Feb. 13, 2013 | WY | SF 132 | Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting | Bill Passed - House (44 - 14) |
| Feb. 13, 2013 | NC | HB 66 | Authorizes the Use and Display of Wild Animals in Cultural Activities | Bill Passed - House (98 - 20) |
| Feb. 11, 2013 | IN | SJR 7 | Guarantees Right to Hunt and Fish | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| Feb. 11, 2013 | IN | SJR 7 | Guarantees Right to Hunt and Fish | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| Feb. 6, 2013 | AK | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - House (27 - 10) |
| Feb. 6, 2013 | MT | HB 27 | Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 33) |
| Jan. 28, 2013 | WY | SF 132 | Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |