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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 3, 2013 | PA | HB 1075 | Amends Public Welfare Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| July 3, 2013 | CA | AB 1266 | Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| July 3, 2013 | OR | HB 2639 | Prohibits Discrimination in Selling, Renting, or Leasing Property | Bill Passed - House (38 - 20) |
| July 1, 2013 | OR | SB 215 | Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| July 1, 2013 | PA | HB 1075 | Amends Public Welfare Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 94) |
| June 28, 2013 | OR | SB 215 | Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots by Agreement | Bill Passed - House (41 - 19) |
| June 27, 2013 | CA | AB 277 | Authorizes Gaming on Traditional Tribal Territory | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| June 27, 2013 | National | S 744 | Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32) |
| June 27, 2013 | NJ | A 3371 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| June 24, 2013 | NJ | A 3371 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors | Bill Passed - House (56 - 14) |
| June 23, 2013 | TX | SB 3 | State House Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| June 21, 2013 | TX | SB 3 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (93 - 46) |
| June 21, 2013 | TX | SB 4 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (93 - 47) |
| June 21, 2013 | TX | SB 2 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (109 - 30) |
| June 20, 2013 | National | H Amdt 231 | Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198) |
| June 20, 2013 | National | HR 1947 | Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 | Bill Failed - House (195 - 234) |
| June 19, 2013 | DE | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| June 19, 2013 | National | H Amdt 176 | Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234) |
| June 18, 2013 | DE | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| June 18, 2013 | National | S Amdt 1228 | Requires US-VISIT System to be Established at Every Port of Entry | Amendment Rejected - Senate (36 - 58) |
| June 18, 2013 | National | S Amdt 1197 | Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54) |
| June 14, 2013 | National | HR 1960 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 | Bill Passed - House (315 - 108) |
| June 14, 2013 | National | HR 1960 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 | Motion Rejected - House (194 - 225) |
| June 14, 2013 | TX | SB 4 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11) |
| June 13, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| June 13, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| June 13, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| June 13, 2013 | MI | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (76 - 31) |
| June 12, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| June 11, 2013 | National | S 744 | Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act | Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15) |
| June 10, 2013 | National | S 954 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27) |
| June 6, 2013 | National | H Amdt 136 | Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 201) |
| June 6, 2013 | National | H Amdt 136 | Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 201) |
| June 5, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - House (77 - 39) |
| June 4, 2013 | LA | SB 188 | Increases Judicial Pay | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| June 3, 2013 | LA | SB 153 | Requires Equal Pay for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (86 - 12) |
| June 3, 2013 | LA | SB 188 | Increases Judicial Pay | Bill Passed - House (79 - 18) |
| June 3, 2013 | LA | SB 5 | Repeals Mandatory Retirement Age for Judges | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 33) |
| June 3, 2013 | LA | SB 5 | Repeals Mandatory Retirement Age for Judges | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 33) |
| June 2, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12) |
| June 2, 2013 | NV | SJR 8 | Establishes Annual Legislative Sessions | Bill Passed - House (23 - 18) |
| May 30, 2013 | LA | SB 162 | Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 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 323 | Prohibits Tax-Exempt Status for Organizations that Discriminate Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| May 29, 2013 | CA | AB 60 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| May 27, 2013 | NV | SB 303 | Authorizes Driver Authorization Cards for Non-Citizens | Bill Passed - House (30 - 9) |
| May 24, 2013 | TX | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 61) |
| May 23, 2013 | NV | SJR 13 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - House (27 - 14) |
| May 23, 2013 | CA | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| May 22, 2013 | TX | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| May 22, 2013 | TX | SB 21 | Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (104 - 42) |
| May 22, 2013 | National | H Amdt 67 | Requires a Finding be Added Concerning Oil Sand Crudes | Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 269) |
| May 22, 2013 | CT | HB 6495 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (74 - 55) |
| May 22, 2013 | LA | SB 153 | Requires Equal Pay for State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 20, 2013 | MN | SF 778 | Authorizes the Unionization of Family Child Care Providers | Bill Passed - House (68 - 66) |
| May 19, 2013 | MN | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |
| May 19, 2013 | MN | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |
| May 17, 2013 | MN | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62) |
| May 17, 2013 | MN | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62) |
| May 16, 2013 | AZ | SB 1492 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| May 16, 2013 | CA | AB 4 | Prohibits Law Enforcement From Detaining Individuals Based Solely on Immigration Status | Bill Passed - House (44 - 22) |
| May 16, 2013 | NC | HB 730 | Amends Abortion Laws | Bill Passed - House (73 - 39) |
| May 15, 2013 | TX | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80) |
| May 15, 2013 | TX | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80) |
| May 15, 2013 | MN | SF 778 | Authorizes the Unionization of Family Child Care Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 32) |
| May 14, 2013 | NV | SB 139 | Classifies Crimes Based on Gender Identity or Expression as Felonies | Bill Passed - House (30 - 11) |
| May 13, 2013 | MO | SB 29 | Prohibits the Automatic Withdrawal of Union Fees for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (85 - 69) |
| May 13, 2013 | MN | HF 1054 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 30) |
| May 13, 2013 | NY | A 1792 | Extends Worker's Benefits to Farm Laborers | Bill Passed - House (83 - 53) |
| May 9, 2013 | CA | AB 1266 | Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities | Bill Passed - House (46 - 25) |
| May 9, 2013 | MN | HF 1054 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (75 - 59) |
| May 8, 2013 | CO | HB 1317 | Establishes Regulations for the Retail Marijuana Industry | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| May 8, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| May 8, 2013 | CO | HB 1317 | Establishes Regulations for the Retail Marijuana Industry | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |