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 16, 2013 | OR | SB 835 | Prohibits Horse Tripping in Rodeos | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| April 15, 2013 | WA | SB 5329 | Requires Superintendent to Take Action in Certain Schools | Bill Passed - House (68 - 29) |
| April 15, 2013 | IN | SB 225 | Establishes Procedures to Appoint Constitutional Convention Delegates | Bill Passed - House (64 - 29) |
| April 15, 2013 | IN | SB 224 | Establishes the Duties of Constitutional Convention Delegates | Bill Passed - House (64 - 28) |
| April 12, 2013 | WV | SB 371 | Amends the State Prison System | Bill Passed - House (81 - 17) |
| April 12, 2013 | National | HR 1120 | Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations Act | Bill Passed - House (219 - 209) |
| April 11, 2013 | IL | HJRCA 18 | Repeals the Position of Lieutenant Governor | Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 28) |
| April 11, 2013 | IL | HJRCA 18 | Repeals the Position of Lieutenant Governor | Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 28) |
| April 9, 2013 | WI | AB 15 | Authorizes Work-Share Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 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 9, 2013 | AR | HB 1855 | Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| April 9, 2013 | AZ | HB 2593 | Amends Campaign Finance Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| April 9, 2013 | AR | HJR 1009 | Amends Campaign Contribution Laws | Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 12) |
| April 9, 2013 | AR | HJR 1009 | Amends Campaign Contribution Laws | Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 12) |
| April 8, 2013 | AZ | HB 2477 | Requires Photo Radar Systems To Be Necessary for Public Safety | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 16) |
| April 8, 2013 | MD | HB 224 | Amends Voting Procedures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 40) |
| April 8, 2013 | MD | HB 224 | Amends Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| April 8, 2013 | AZ | SB 1439 | Authorizes the Use of Gold and Silver as Legal Tender | Bill Passed - House (36 - 22) |
| April 8, 2013 | MT | HB 30 | Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| April 6, 2013 | MD | HB 1107 | Amends Prince George's County School System Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 47) |
| April 5, 2013 | KS | SB 102 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
| April 5, 2013 | KS | HB 2234 | Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 44) |
| April 5, 2013 | KS | HB 2234 | Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 13) |
| April 5, 2013 | KS | SB 102 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - House (96 - 24) |
| April 5, 2013 | KS | HB 2069 | Prohibits Local Governments from Enforcing a Union Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 32) |
| April 4, 2013 | MT | HB 217 | Exempts Religious Organizations from Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| April 4, 2013 | OR | HB 2870 | Authorizes Counties to Tax Cigarette Sales | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| April 4, 2013 | CA | AB 131 | Amends Voter Registration Requirements | Bill Passed - House (47 - 23) |
| April 4, 2013 | MO | SB 265 | Prohibits Compliance with United Nations Agenda 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| April 3, 2013 | WV | HB 2805 | Establishes a Public Campaign Financing Program for Supreme Court of Appeals Candidates | Bill Passed - House (70 - 29) |
| April 3, 2013 | NC | SB 306 | Repeals the Racial Justice Act | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| April 3, 2013 | WV | HB 2805 | Establishes a Public Campaign Financing Program for Supreme Court of Appeals Candidates | Bill Passed - House (70 - 29) |
| April 2, 2013 | MS | HB 1009 | Authorizes Department of Human Services to Hire Private Contractors | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 56) |
| April 2, 2013 | MS | HB 1009 | Authorizes Department of Human Services to Hire Private Contractors | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 56) |
| April 2, 2013 | MS | SB 2199 | Requires Appointed Superintendents | Conference Report Rejected - House (52 - 66) |
| April 2, 2013 | AZ | HB 2477 | Requires Photo Radar Systems To Be Necessary for Public Safety | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| April 2, 2013 | KS | HB 2069 | Prohibits Local Governments from Enforcing a Union Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| April 1, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (52 - 45) |
| April 1, 2013 | NV | SJR 15 | Removes the Separate Tax Rate on Mining | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 4) |
| March 28, 2013 | MT | HB 217 | Exempts Religious Organizations from Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| March 27, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| March 27, 2013 | KS | HB 2234 | Requires the Secretary of Transportation to Direct the Kansas Turnpike Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| March 26, 2013 | KY | SB 13 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Election Days | Bill Passed - House (50 - 46) |
| March 26, 2013 | KY | SB 13 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Election Days | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| March 26, 2013 | OR | HB 2988 | Reduces Minimum Voter Registration Age to 16 | Bill Passed - House (35 - 25) |
| March 25, 2013 | IN | SB 213 | Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (55 - 39) |
| March 25, 2013 | MD | HB 228 | Amends the State Health Benefits Exchange and Medicaid Program | Bill Passed - House (93 - 43) |
| March 25, 2013 | OR | SB 602 | Prohibits Motorized Boats and Seaplanes on Waldo Lake | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| March 22, 2013 | ID | S 1108 | Increases Petition Signature Requirements | Bill Passed - House (45 - 21) |