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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2013 | OK | SB 550 | Repeals the Retail Sales Price Requirement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 16) |
| May 15, 2013 | MN | SF 778 | Authorizes the Unionization of Family Child Care Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 32) |
| May 8, 2013 | MN | HF 92 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 28) |
| May 8, 2013 | CO | HB 1318 | Establishes Sales Taxes for Retail Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| May 8, 2013 | MO | HB 253 | Authorizes Income Tax Cuts | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| May 6, 2013 | National | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27) |
| May 6, 2013 | NC | SB 489 | Amends the Consumer Finance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| May 2, 2013 | NH | HB 443 | Prohibits Contracts with Private Entities for Inmate Custody | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| May 1, 2013 | IL | SB 1639 | Requires Reimbursement for the Sale of Unhealthy Pets | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| April 30, 2013 | AZ | SB 1439 | Authorizes the Use of Gold and Silver as Legal Tender | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| April 30, 2013 | MI | SB 197 | Requires the State Prison Food Service To Seek Competitive Bids From Private Entities | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| April 25, 2013 | National | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30) |
| April 23, 2013 | MT | HB 297 | Prohibits the Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| April 22, 2013 | TX | SB 1247 | Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| April 22, 2013 | TX | SB 1247 | Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| April 18, 2013 | AR | SB 1020 | Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
| April 16, 2013 | TN | SB 1248 | Requires Disclosure of Photographic Evidence of Animal Abuse | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| April 16, 2013 | MO | SB 112 | Extends the New Markets Tax Credit Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| April 14, 2013 | AK | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (12 - 8) |
| April 10, 2013 | AR | HB 1536 | Authorizes Sale of Unpasteurized Whole Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| April 10, 2013 | TX | SB 1467 | Requires Facilitation of Expansion of Firearms Manufacturers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| April 9, 2013 | WI | AB 15 | Authorizes Work-Share Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 4, 2013 | MO | SB 126 | Prohibits Pharmacies from Being Required to Carry Specific Drugs | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| April 3, 2013 | CT | SB 1160 | Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| April 2, 2013 | KS | HB 2055 | Reduces Casino Building Fee | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 24) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/15 | SB 550 | Repeals the Retail Sales Price Requirement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 16) |
| 5/15 | SF 778 | Authorizes the Unionization of Family Child Care Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 32) |
| 5/08 | HF 92 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 28) |
| 5/08 | HB 1318 | Establishes Sales Taxes for Retail Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 5/08 | HB 253 | Authorizes Income Tax Cuts | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 5/06 | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27) |
| 5/06 | SB 489 | Amends the Consumer Finance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 5/02 | HB 443 | Prohibits Contracts with Private Entities for Inmate Custody | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 5/01 | SB 1639 | Requires Reimbursement for the Sale of Unhealthy Pets | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 4/30 | SB 1439 | Authorizes the Use of Gold and Silver as Legal Tender | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 4/30 | SB 197 | Requires the State Prison Food Service To Seek Competitive Bids From Private Entities | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 4/25 | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30) |
| 4/23 | HB 297 | Prohibits the Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 4/22 | SB 1247 | Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| 4/22 | SB 1247 | Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| 4/18 | SB 1020 | Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
| 4/16 | SB 1248 | Requires Disclosure of Photographic Evidence of Animal Abuse | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 4/16 | SB 112 | Extends the New Markets Tax Credit Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 4/14 | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (12 - 8) |
| 4/10 | HB 1536 | Authorizes Sale of Unpasteurized Whole Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 4/10 | SB 1467 | Requires Facilitation of Expansion of Firearms Manufacturers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 4/09 | AB 15 | Authorizes Work-Share Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/04 | SB 126 | Prohibits Pharmacies from Being Required to Carry Specific Drugs | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 4/03 | SB 1160 | Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| 4/02 | HB 2055 | Reduces Casino Building Fee | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 24) |