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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 11, 2013 | MI | HB 4369 | Expands the Education Achievement Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Nov. 21, 2013 | National | S 1197 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44) |
| Nov. 19, 2013 | MA | Amdt 1 | Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Nov. 19, 2013 | MA | S 1925 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| Nov. 12, 2013 | HI | SB 1 - HD 1 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 4) |
| Nov. 7, 2013 | National | S 815 | Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32) |
| Nov. 7, 2013 | National | S Amdt 2013 | Exempts Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| Nov. 5, 2013 | IL | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| Nov. 5, 2013 | WI | AB 297 | Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Nov. 4, 2013 | National | S 815 | Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 | Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30) |
| Oct. 30, 2013 | MI | SB 652 | Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Oct. 29, 2013 | National | S J Res 26 | A Joint Resolution Relating to the Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit, as Submitted Under Section 1002(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 on October 17, 2013 | Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
| Oct. 16, 2013 | National | HR 2775 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| Sept. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| Sept. 27, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44) |
| Sept. 18, 2013 | MI | SB 276 | Requires Community Service for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Sept. 12, 2013 | CA | AB 60 | Authorizes Driver's License for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| Sept. 12, 2013 | CA | AB 10 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Sept. 9, 2013 | CA | AB 4 | Prohibits Law Enforcement from Detaining Individuals Solely Based on Immigration Status | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Aug. 27, 2013 | MI | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Aug. 23, 2013 | KY | HB 1 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| July 23, 2013 | NC | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
| July 23, 2013 | NC | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |