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 24, 2013 | TX | HB 950 | Requires Equal Pay for Women | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 61) |
| May 22, 2013 | TX | SB 21 | Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (104 - 42) |
| May 22, 2013 | National | H Amdt 72 | Increases Time to File a Claim Under the Northern Route Approval Act from 60 Days to 1 Year | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234) |
| May 22, 2013 | National | H Amdt 69 | Requires Threat Assessment of Pipeline Vulnerabilities to a Terrorist Attack | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 239) |
| May 21, 2013 | KS | HB 2162 | Prohibits State Funds from Being Used to Lobby for Firearm Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 28) |
| May 20, 2013 | NJ | A 3796 | Requires an Individual to Dispose of Unauthorized Firearms Within a Certain Time Period | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 24) |
| May 20, 2013 | NJ | A 3797 | Requires Certain Firearm Information to be Collected and Reported | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| May 20, 2013 | NJ | A 3797 | Requires Certain Firearm Information to be Collected and Reported | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| May 20, 2013 | NV | SB 243 | Requires DNA Samples for Felonies | Bill Passed - House (29 - 9) |
| May 20, 2013 | NV | SB 243 | Requires DNA Samples for Felonies | Bill Passed - House (29 - 9) |
| May 17, 2013 | MO | HB 533 | Authorizes State Employees to Keep Firearms in Vehicles | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (125 - 27) |
| May 16, 2013 | CA | AB 4 | Prohibits Law Enforcement From Detaining Individuals Based Solely on Immigration Status | Bill Passed - House (44 - 22) |
| May 15, 2013 | MO | HB 650 | Limits Punitive Awards for Lead Exposure from Certain Mines | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 63) |
| May 15, 2013 | AZ | SB 1178 | Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense | Bill Passed - House (32 - 24) |
| May 14, 2013 | NV | SB 139 | Classifies Crimes Based on Gender Identity or Expression as Felonies | Bill Passed - House (30 - 11) |
| May 14, 2013 | NV | SB 139 | Classifies Crimes Based on Gender Identity or Expression as Felonies | Bill Passed - House (30 - 11) |
| May 13, 2013 | VT | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
| May 13, 2013 | VT | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
| May 8, 2013 | MO | HB 436 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (116 - 38) |
| May 8, 2013 | MO | HB 436 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (116 - 38) |
| May 8, 2013 | MO | SB 267 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - House (109 - 41) |
| May 7, 2013 | NC | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - House (78 - 42) |
| May 7, 2013 | TX | HB 928 | Prohibits State Funds from Being Used for the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (101 - 31) |
| May 6, 2013 | TX | SB 864 | Reduces Required Hours for Concealed Handgun License Training | Bill Passed - House (116 - 30) |
| May 6, 2013 | TX | HB 1076 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (100 - 47) |
| May 6, 2013 | TX | HB 1076 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (100 - 47) |
| May 6, 2013 | TX | HB 972 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns on Higher Education Campuses | Bill Passed - House (102 - 41) |
| May 6, 2013 | TX | HB 1009 | Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools | Bill Passed - House (123 - 22) |
| May 6, 2013 | LA | HB 45 | Establishes Licenses for the In-State Sale and Manufacture of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (77 - 20) |
| May 2, 2013 | AL | SB 286 | Amends Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (74 - 27) |
| May 1, 2013 | VT | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Bill Passed - House (81 - 64) |
| May 1, 2013 | VT | S 77 | Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages | Bill Passed - House (81 - 64) |
| May 1, 2013 | FL | SB 1792 | Amends Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Requirements | Bill Passed - House (77 - 38) |
| May 1, 2013 | TX | HB 489 | Expands Access to Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD | Bill Passed - House (120 - 21) |
| May 1, 2013 | MI | HB 4118 | Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (77 - 33) |
| April 30, 2013 | AL | HB 8 | Requires Courts to Apply "Strict Scrutiny" to Certain Firearm Regulation Laws | Bill Passed - House (76 - 22) |
| April 26, 2013 | TX | HB 148 | Prohibits Multiple Ballots from Being Turned in by 1 Individual | Bill Passed - House (93 - 48) |
| April 25, 2013 | FL | HB 7083 | Limits Post-Conviction Death Penalty Appeals | Bill Passed - House (84 - 34) |
| April 25, 2013 | FL | HB 7083 | Limits Post-Conviction Death Penalty Appeals | Bill Passed - House (84 - 34) |
| April 24, 2013 | LA | HB 265 | Establishes Lifetime Concealed Handgun Permits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 19) |
| April 23, 2013 | LA | HB 5 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| April 23, 2013 | LA | HB 5 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| April 23, 2013 | OR | HB 2624 | Exempts Counties from Hunting Dog Prohibitions if Approved by County Voters | Bill Passed - House (40 - 19) |
| April 23, 2013 | OR | HB 2624 | Exempts Counties from Hunting Dog Prohibitions if Approved by County Voters | Bill Passed - House (40 - 19) |
| April 23, 2013 | LA | HB 8 | Prohibits Disclosure of Concealed Firearm Permit Information | Bill Passed - House (76 - 18) |
| April 23, 2013 | CO | HB 1251 | Requires DNA Samples for Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| April 23, 2013 | CO | HB 1251 | Requires DNA Samples for Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| April 20, 2013 | MT | HB 297 | Prohibits the Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 37) |
| April 18, 2013 | CA | SB 140 | Appropriates Funds to the Armed Prohibited Persons System | Bill Passed - House (65 - 10) |
| April 18, 2013 | FL | SB 718 | Amends Alimony Provisions | Bill Passed - House (85 - 31) |