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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 18, 2013 | MT | HB 377 | Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| April 18, 2013 | CT | HB 6648 | Authorizes University Board of Regents to Appoint President of the Board | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| April 17, 2013 | IA | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 16, 2013 | MT | HB 13 | Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| April 16, 2013 | MN | SF 1589 | Increases Legislator Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
| April 16, 2013 | MN | SF 1589 | Increases Legislator Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
| April 16, 2013 | MN | SF 1589 | Increases Legislator Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
| April 16, 2013 | IA | SF 439 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| April 11, 2013 | OR | SB 822 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| April 10, 2013 | IN | HB 1483 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| April 10, 2013 | OR | SB 215 | Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
| April 9, 2013 | WI | AB 15 | Authorizes Work-Share Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 9, 2013 | AR | HB 1855 | Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| April 8, 2013 | AR | SB 38 | Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| April 8, 2013 | AR | SB 875 | Reduces Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amounts | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| April 5, 2013 | KS | HB 2234 | Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 13) |
| April 4, 2013 | MD | SB 422 | Requires Public School Teachers to Pay Labor Union Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| April 3, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| April 2, 2013 | KS | HB 2069 | Prohibits Local Governments from Enforcing a Union Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| March 27, 2013 | KS | HB 2234 | Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| March 27, 2013 | MD | SB 274 | Expands Medicaid Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| March 26, 2013 | KY | SB 2 | Amends the State Employee Pension Program | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 6) |
| March 26, 2013 | KY | SB 2 | Amends the State Employee Pension Program | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 6) |
| March 25, 2013 | MD | SB 715 | Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| March 25, 2013 | IA | SF 296 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 21, 2013 | OR | HB 2787 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| March 20, 2013 | National | HR 933 | Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 26) |
| March 20, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 22) |
| March 19, 2013 | TX | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| March 19, 2013 | TX | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| March 18, 2013 | CO | HB 1081 | Expands Sexual Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 18, 2013 | NJ | A 3614 | Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| March 14, 2013 | KS | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| March 14, 2013 | National | S Amdt 66 | Temporarily Prohibits the Hiring of Nonessential Federal Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
| March 14, 2013 | MO | SB 29 | Prohibits the Automatic Withdrawal of Union Fees for Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| March 13, 2013 | KS | HB 2019 | Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| March 13, 2013 | KS | HB 2019 | Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| March 13, 2013 | KS | HB 2019 | Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| March 13, 2013 | OR | SB 444 | Prohibits Smoking in a Car with Minors Present | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| March 7, 2013 | AL | SB 41 | Amends Employment Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| March 7, 2013 | CA | SB 1-1 | Expands Eligibility for Medi-Cal Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 142 | Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 149 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | OK | SB 1062 | Amends State Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | NC | SB 4 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 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 213 | Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | IN | SB 207 | Authorizes Certain Undocumented Students to Receive In-State Tuition | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | CO | SB 33 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 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 | KY | SB 40 | Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 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. 20, 2013 | MT | SB 107 | Amends Sexual Conduct Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 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 | IL | SB 10 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | ND | SB 2252 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 26) |
| 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. 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) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | National | HR 325 | No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
| 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 | 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) |