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. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 63 | Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | National | H Amdt 23 | Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act | Amendment Rejected - House (166 - 257) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | Holland Amendment to SB 63 | Prohibits the Secretary of State from Operating a PAC | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | UT | HB 268 | Redefines Disorderly Conduct Regarding Firearms | Bill Passed - House (54 - 12) |
| 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. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | AR | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Veto Override Passed - House (53 - 28) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | SD | HB 1087 | Authorizes School Sentinel Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | MT | HB 384 | Authorizes Students to Bring Firearms to School | Bill Failed - House (45 - 53) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | WY | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | NM | HB 316 | Prohibits Animal Killing Contests | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | UT | HB 121 | Authorizes Individuals to Voluntarily Commit Guns to Law Enforcement Agencies | Bill Passed - House (44 - 28) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | AR | HB 1243 | Authorizes University Staff to Carry a Concealed Handgun | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | ND | HB 1215 | Authorizes Concealed Weapons in Schools | Bill Passed - House (60 - 33) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | IN | HB 1483 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | IN | HB 1483 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | AK | HB 69 | Exempts Firearms from Federal Regulation | Bill Passed - House (31 - 5) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | AK | HB 69 | Exempts Firearms from Federal Regulation | Bill Passed - House (31 - 5) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | IN | HB 1006 | Amends the Criminal Code | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| Feb. 23, 2013 | MT | HB 240 | Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | MT | HB 304 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/28 | SB 63 | Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/28 | H Amdt 23 | Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act | Amendment Rejected - House (166 - 257) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/28 | Holland Amendment to SB 63 | Prohibits the Secretary of State from Operating a PAC | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 2/28 | HB 268 | Redefines Disorderly Conduct Regarding Firearms | Bill Passed - House (54 - 12) |
| 2/28 | SB 142 | Prohibits Civil Action Lawsuits Concerning Abortion Consultation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| 2/28 | SB 149 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/27 | HB 1037 | Prohibits Abortions After 20 Weeks | Veto Override Passed - House (53 - 28) |
| 2/27 | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| 2/27 | HB 1087 | Authorizes School Sentinel Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 2/27 | HB 384 | Authorizes Students to Bring Firearms to School | Bill Failed - House (45 - 53) |
| 2/26 | HB 41 | Reduces Limitations on Hunting Bison | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 2/26 | HB 316 | Prohibits Animal Killing Contests | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| 2/26 | HB 121 | Authorizes Individuals to Voluntarily Commit Guns to Law Enforcement Agencies | Bill Passed - House (44 - 28) |
| 2/25 | HB 1243 | Authorizes University Staff to Carry a Concealed Handgun | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 2/25 | HB 1215 | Authorizes Concealed Weapons in Schools | Bill Passed - House (60 - 33) |
| 2/25 | HB 1483 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| 2/25 | HB 1483 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| 2/25 | HB 69 | Exempts Firearms from Federal Regulation | Bill Passed - House (31 - 5) |
| 2/25 | HB 69 | Exempts Firearms from Federal Regulation | Bill Passed - House (31 - 5) |
| 2/25 | HB 1006 | Amends the Criminal Code | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| 2/23 | HB 240 | Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| 2/22 | HB 304 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |