Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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 18, 2013 National S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
June 18, 2013 National S Amdt 1228 Requires US-VISIT System to be Established at Every Port of Entry Amendment Rejected - Senate (36 - 58)
June 12, 2013 NC SB 306 Repeals the Racial Justice Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
June 11, 2013 National S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15)
June 5, 2013 CT HB 5277 Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
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 29, 2013 CT HB 6495 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
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 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 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 22, 2013 AZ SB 1178 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
May 22, 2013 OH HB 7 Prohibits Internet Cafes Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
May 22, 2013 IL HB 2675 Expands Sex Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21)
May 22, 2013 TX HB 1009 Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
May 22, 2013 NV SB 221 Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10)
May 14, 2013 MO HB 533 Authorizes State Employees to Keep Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
May 13, 2013 NJ A 3797 Requires Certain Firearm Information to be Collected and Reported Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
May 13, 2013 NJ A 3797 Requires Certain Firearm Information to be Collected and Reported Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
May 13, 2013 NJ A 3796 Requires an Individual to Dispose of Unauthorized Firearms Within a Certain Time Period Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
May 13, 2013 MN HF 1054 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 30)
May 8, 2013 VT S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/18 S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
6/18 S Amdt 1228 Requires US-VISIT System to be Established at Every Port of Entry Amendment Rejected - Senate (36 - 58)
6/12 SB 306 Repeals the Racial Justice Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
6/11 S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15)
6/05 HB 5277 Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
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)
5/29 HB 6495 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
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 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)
5/26 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)
5/22 SB 1178 Authorizes Individuals to use Potential Infringements of Religious Freedom as a Claim or Defense Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
5/22 HB 7 Prohibits Internet Cafes Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
5/22 HB 2675 Expands Sex Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21)
5/22 HB 1009 Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
5/22 SB 221 Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10)
5/14 HB 533 Authorizes State Employees to Keep Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
5/13 A 3797 Requires Certain Firearm Information to be Collected and Reported Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
5/13 A 3797 Requires Certain Firearm Information to be Collected and Reported Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
5/13 A 3796 Requires an Individual to Dispose of Unauthorized Firearms Within a Certain Time Period Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
5/13 HF 1054 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 30)
5/08 S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 13)

arrow_upward