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. 27, 2013 | OK | SB 1062 | Amends State Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | ND | HB 1362 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | NM | HB 64 | Amends Educational Employee Pension Funds and Policies | Bill Passed - House (50 - 17) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | NM | HB 64 | Amends Educational Employee Pension Funds and Policies | Bill Passed - House (50 - 17) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | KY | HB 416 | Establishes the Kentucky Retirement Systems Sustainability Trust Fund | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | NC | SB 4 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | NC | SB 4 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 40) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | National | PN 34 | Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 41) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | National | PN 34 | Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense | Cloture Invoked - Senate (71 - 27) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | IN | SB 207 | Authorizes Certain Undocumented Students to Receive In-State Tuition | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | IN | SB 213 | Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | IN | HB 1483 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | CO | SB 33 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | OR | HB 2787 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (38 - 18) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | ND | HB 1385 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - House (19 - 72) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | KY | SB 39 | Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | KY | SB 39 | Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | SD | HB 1214 | Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (39 - 28) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | SD | HB 1214 | Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (39 - 28) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | SD | HB 1214 | Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (39 - 28) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | SD | HB 1214 | Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (39 - 28) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | KY | SB 40 | Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | KY | SB 40 | Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | NM | HB 300 | Authorizes Extended School Absences for Pregnant Teens | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | AZ | HB 2147 | Requires Individuals Seeking Unemployment Benefits to Provide Proof of Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | CO | HB 1081 | Expands Sexual Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | CO | HB 1081 | Expands Sexual Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | MT | SB 107 | Amends Sexual Conduct Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | WV | HB 2434 | Increases Compensation for Court Magistrates | Bill Passed - House (53 - 45) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | IA | HF 215 | Appropriates Education Funding and Establishes New Programs | Bill Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| Feb. 15, 2013 | National | HR 273 | Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees | Bill Passed - House (261 - 154) |
| Feb. 15, 2013 | National | HR 273 | Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees | Bill Passed - House (261 - 154) |
| Feb. 15, 2013 | National | HR 273 | Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees | Bill Passed - House (261 - 154) |
| Feb. 15, 2013 | UT | HB 50 | Expands Protective Orders to Dating Relationships | Bill Passed - House (61 - 11) |
| Feb. 15, 2013 | UT | HB 50 | Expands Protective Orders to Dating Relationships | Bill Passed - House (61 - 11) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | National | PN 34 | Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | ND | SB 2252 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 26) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | IL | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | ID | H 88 | Expands Tax Credit for New Employees | Bill Passed - House (62 - 7) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | KY | HB 131 | Authorizes Immigrants to Remain Enrolled in High School up to Age 23 | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | NJ | AR 91 | Extends the Term of a Special Committee Investigating the Finances of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey | Resolution Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| Feb. 13, 2013 | KY | SB 9 | Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 13, 2013 | KY | SB 9 | Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 12, 2013 | National | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| Feb. 12, 2013 | National | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| Feb. 12, 2013 | National | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| Feb. 12, 2013 | National | S 47 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| Feb. 11, 2013 | CO | SB 11 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Feb. 7, 2013 | MT | HB 239 | Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| Feb. 6, 2013 | NH | CACR1 | Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149) |
| Feb. 6, 2013 | SD | SB 107 | Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 5, 2013 | CO | SB 25 | Authorizes Statewide Firefighter Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Feb. 4, 2013 | VA | SB 721 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20) |
| Feb. 4, 2013 | UT | HB 274 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Employing a Homeless Individual | Bill Passed - House (41 - 33) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | National | HR 325 | No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | SD | SB 70 | Establishes Alternative Court Programs for Nonviolent Offenders | Bill Passed - House (63 - 7) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | KS | HB 2023 | Prohibits Manditory Labor Organizational Fees for Political Purposes | Bill Passed - House (68 - 56) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | WY | SF 131 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| Jan. 30, 2013 | KS | SCR 1601 | Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| Jan. 30, 2013 | WY | HB 168 | Authorizes Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Failed - House (25 - 34) |
| Jan. 30, 2013 | KS | SCR 1601 | Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| Jan. 30, 2013 | KS | SCR 1601 | Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| Jan. 29, 2013 | WI | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
| Jan. 29, 2013 | WI | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
| Jan. 28, 2013 | NJ | A 3614 | Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| Jan. 25, 2013 | WY | SF 104 | Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Jan. 25, 2013 | WY | SF 104 | Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education | Bill Passed - House (39 - 20) |
| Jan. 24, 2013 | RI | H 5015 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| Jan. 23, 2013 | National | HR 325 | No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (285 - 144) |
| Jan. 8, 2013 | IL | SB 957 | Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (65 - 46) |
| Jan. 1, 2013 | National | HR 6726 | Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act | Bill Passed - House (287 - 129) |
| Jan. 1, 2013 | National | HR 6726 | Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act | Bill Passed - House (287 - 129) |