Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
June 11, 2013 National S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15)
June 6, 2013 National H Amdt 136 Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 201)
June 5, 2013 NC SB 306 Repeals the Racial Justice Act Bill Passed - House (77 - 39)
June 5, 2013 CT HB 5277 Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
June 4, 2013 National H Amdt 84 Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254)
June 3, 2013 NV SB 221 Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms Bill Passed - House (23 - 19)
June 2, 2013 LA SB 162 Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12)
May 30, 2013 LA SB 162 Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3)
May 30, 2013 NJ A 3659 Amends the Definition of Destructive Devices Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
May 30, 2013 WA HB 2064 Amends Estate Tax Laws Bill Passed - House (51 - 40)
May 29, 2013 CT HB 6495 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
May 29, 2013 CA AB 48 Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
May 29, 2013 CA AB 48 Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
May 29, 2013 CA AB 60 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (55 - 20)
May 29, 2013 CA AB 375 Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements Bill Passed - House (64 - 11)
May 29, 2013 CA SB 53 Requires Ammunition Purchasers to Undergo a Background Check Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
May 29, 2013 CA SB 323 Prohibits Tax-Exempt Status for Organizations that Discriminate Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
May 28, 2013 IL HB 1247 Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 48)
May 28, 2013 NV SB 165 Authorizes Film Tax Credits Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
May 28, 2013 OR SB 154 Requires Signature Gathering Firms to Meet Certain Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
May 27, 2013 IL SB 1639 Requires Reimbursement for the Sale of Unhealthy Pets Bill Passed - House (67 - 49)
May 27, 2013 NV SB 303 Authorizes Driver Authorization Cards for Non-Citizens Bill Passed - House (30 - 9)
May 26, 2013 TX HB 912 Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5)
May 23, 2013 IL HB 1247 Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20)
May 23, 2013 NV SJR 13 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Joint Resolution Passed - House (27 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/11 S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15)
6/06 H Amdt 136 Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 201)
6/05 SB 306 Repeals the Racial Justice Act Bill Passed - House (77 - 39)
6/05 HB 5277 Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
6/04 H Amdt 84 Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254)
6/03 SB 221 Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms Bill Passed - House (23 - 19)
6/02 SB 162 Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 12)
5/30 SB 162 Authorizes Surrogacy Contracts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 3)
5/30 A 3659 Amends the Definition of Destructive Devices Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
5/30 HB 2064 Amends Estate Tax Laws Bill Passed - House (51 - 40)
5/29 HB 6495 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
5/29 AB 48 Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
5/29 AB 48 Prohibits Large Capacity Magazines Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
5/29 AB 60 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (55 - 20)
5/29 AB 375 Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements Bill Passed - House (64 - 11)
5/29 SB 53 Requires Ammunition Purchasers to Undergo a Background Check Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
5/29 SB 323 Prohibits Tax-Exempt Status for Organizations that Discriminate Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
5/28 HB 1247 Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 48)
5/28 SB 165 Authorizes Film Tax Credits Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
5/28 SB 154 Requires Signature Gathering Firms to Meet Certain Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
5/27 SB 1639 Requires Reimbursement for the Sale of Unhealthy Pets Bill Passed - House (67 - 49)
5/27 SB 303 Authorizes Driver Authorization Cards for Non-Citizens Bill Passed - House (30 - 9)
5/26 HB 912 Limits the Private Use of Unmanned Aircrafts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 5)
5/23 HB 1247 Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20)
5/23 SJR 13 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Joint Resolution Passed - House (27 - 14)

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