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
March 26, 2013 OK HB 1999 Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
March 25, 2013 MD SB 339 Classifies Using a Cell Phone While Driving As a Primary Offense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6)
March 25, 2013 MD SB 715 Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
March 23, 2013 MT HB 304 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
March 23, 2013 MT HB 304 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
March 23, 2013 National S Amdt 139 Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
March 21, 2013 MT HB 247 Authorizes Salvage of Game Killed By Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
March 21, 2013 OR HB 2787 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
March 20, 2013 OH SB 47 Prohibits Collection of Petition Signatures after Filing Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
March 20, 2013 MD SB 30 Prohibits Smoking in Vehicles Containing Children Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
March 19, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
March 19, 2013 PA SB 644 Amends the Definition of "Wild Animal" Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
March 18, 2013 CO HB 1081 Expands Sexual Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
March 18, 2013 CO HB 1081 Expands Sexual Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
March 18, 2013 NJ A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
March 16, 2013 NM HB 641 Reduces Corporate Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
March 15, 2013 CO HB 1229 Requires Background Checks for Private Gun Sales and Transfers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14)
March 14, 2013 TN SB 514 Prohibits Universities from Disciplining Students Who Refuse to Treat Someone Based on Religious Beliefs Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
March 13, 2013 MT HB 302 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
March 13, 2013 UT HB 76 Authorizes Concealed Carry of a Firearm Without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
March 13, 2013 OR SB 444 Prohibits Smoking in a Car with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
March 12, 2013 MI SB 48 Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
March 11, 2013 CO HB 1224 Limits Firearm Magazine Capacity Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
March 11, 2013 CO HB 1228 Establishes a Background Check Fee Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
March 11, 2013 CO SB 197 Prohibits a Domestic Violence Offender from Owning a Firearm Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/26 HB 1999 Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
3/25 SB 339 Classifies Using a Cell Phone While Driving As a Primary Offense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6)
3/25 SB 715 Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
3/23 HB 304 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
3/23 HB 304 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
3/23 S Amdt 139 Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
3/21 HB 247 Authorizes Salvage of Game Killed By Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
3/21 HB 2787 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
3/20 SB 47 Prohibits Collection of Petition Signatures after Filing Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
3/20 SB 30 Prohibits Smoking in Vehicles Containing Children Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
3/19 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
3/19 SB 644 Amends the Definition of "Wild Animal" Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
3/18 HB 1081 Expands Sexual Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
3/18 HB 1081 Expands Sexual Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
3/18 A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
3/16 HB 641 Reduces Corporate Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
3/15 HB 1229 Requires Background Checks for Private Gun Sales and Transfers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14)
3/14 SB 514 Prohibits Universities from Disciplining Students Who Refuse to Treat Someone Based on Religious Beliefs Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
3/13 HB 302 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
3/13 HB 76 Authorizes Concealed Carry of a Firearm Without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
3/13 SB 444 Prohibits Smoking in a Car with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
3/12 SB 48 Authorizes Businesses to Allow Contact Between Customers and Small Bears Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
3/11 HB 1224 Limits Firearm Magazine Capacity Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
3/11 HB 1228 Establishes a Background Check Fee Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
3/11 SB 197 Prohibits a Domestic Violence Offender from Owning a Firearm Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)

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