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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 10, 2013 | CA | SB 649 | Classifies Certain Drug Infractions as Misdemeanors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Sept. 4, 2013 | CA | SB 649 | Classifies Certain Drug Infractions as Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - House (41 - 31) |
| Sept. 3, 2013 | MI | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 32) |
| Sept. 3, 2013 | MI | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 32) |
| Aug. 27, 2013 | MI | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Aug. 27, 2013 | MI | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Aug. 26, 2013 | CA | AB 721 | Amends Transportation of Controlled Substances Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| Aug. 2, 2013 | National | H Amdt 450 | Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 185) |
| July 25, 2013 | NC | HB 938 | Amends Wetland Permit Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15) |
| July 24, 2013 | NC | HB 392 | Authorizes Drug Testing for Work First Program Applicants | Conference Report Adopted - House (92 - 21) |
| July 17, 2013 | National | HR 2667 | Authority for Mandate Delay Act | Bill Passed - House (264 - 161) |
| July 17, 2013 | National | HR 2668 | Fairness for American Families Act | Bill Passed - House (251 - 174) |
| July 3, 2013 | PA | HB 1075 | Amends Public Welfare Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| July 2, 2013 | NC | SB 132 | Requires Certain Reproductive Health and Safety Education for Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| July 1, 2013 | PA | HB 1075 | Amends Public Welfare Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 94) |
| July 1, 2013 | OR | HB 3194 | Amends Sentencing Regulations in the Prison System | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| June 28, 2013 | National | HR 2231 | Offshore Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 186) |
| June 27, 2013 | NC | SB 132 | Requires Certain Reproductive Health and Safety Education for Schools | Bill Passed - House (69 - 42) |
| June 27, 2013 | DE | HB 88 | Prohibits Certain Individuals with Mental Health Issues from Possessing Firearms | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 13) |
| June 27, 2013 | OR | HB 3194 | Amends Sentencing Regulations in the Prison System | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
| June 24, 2013 | NJ | S 2842 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana for Minors | Bill Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| June 20, 2013 | National | HR 1947 | Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 | Bill Failed - House (195 - 234) |
| June 20, 2013 | NJ | S 2842 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| June 13, 2013 | MI | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (76 - 31) |
| June 13, 2013 | MI | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (76 - 31) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/10 | SB 649 | Classifies Certain Drug Infractions as Misdemeanors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 9/04 | SB 649 | Classifies Certain Drug Infractions as Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - House (41 - 31) |
| 9/03 | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 32) |
| 9/03 | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 32) |
| 8/27 | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 8/27 | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 8/26 | AB 721 | Amends Transportation of Controlled Substances Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 8/02 | H Amdt 450 | Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 185) |
| 7/25 | HB 938 | Amends Wetland Permit Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15) |
| 7/24 | HB 392 | Authorizes Drug Testing for Work First Program Applicants | Conference Report Adopted - House (92 - 21) |
| 7/17 | HR 2667 | Authority for Mandate Delay Act | Bill Passed - House (264 - 161) |
| 7/17 | HR 2668 | Fairness for American Families Act | Bill Passed - House (251 - 174) |
| 7/03 | HB 1075 | Amends Public Welfare Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 7/02 | SB 132 | Requires Certain Reproductive Health and Safety Education for Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| 7/01 | HB 1075 | Amends Public Welfare Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 94) |
| 7/01 | HB 3194 | Amends Sentencing Regulations in the Prison System | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 6/28 | HR 2231 | Offshore Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 186) |
| 6/27 | SB 132 | Requires Certain Reproductive Health and Safety Education for Schools | Bill Passed - House (69 - 42) |
| 6/27 | HB 88 | Prohibits Certain Individuals with Mental Health Issues from Possessing Firearms | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 13) |
| 6/27 | HB 3194 | Amends Sentencing Regulations in the Prison System | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
| 6/24 | S 2842 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana for Minors | Bill Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| 6/20 | HR 1947 | Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 | Bill Failed - House (195 - 234) |
| 6/20 | S 2842 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 6/13 | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (76 - 31) |
| 6/13 | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (76 - 31) |