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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2013 | KY | SB 13 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Election Days | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| March 26, 2013 | IN | HB 1293 | Establishes Micro-Distiller Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| March 26, 2013 | OK | HB 1999 | Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| March 26, 2013 | KS | SB 72 | Exempts Health Clubs From Property Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| March 25, 2013 | IA | SF 296 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 21, 2013 | AK | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| March 21, 2013 | ID | H 248 | Establishes Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 15, 2013 | CO | HB 1229 | Requires Background Checks for Private Gun Sales and Transfers | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14) |
| March 14, 2013 | KS | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| March 14, 2013 | National | S Amdt 66 | Temporarily Prohibits the Hiring of Nonessential Federal Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
| March 13, 2013 | NC | SB 81 | Establishes the Charlotte Regional Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| March 12, 2013 | MO | SB 26 | Amends State Tax Code | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 11, 2013 | CO | HB 1228 | Establishes a Background Check Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| March 7, 2013 | MN | HF 5 | Establishes the Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 28) |
| March 6, 2013 | ID | S 1117 | Authorizes Permits for Heavy Trucks on Certain Routes | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| March 4, 2013 | NM | SB 416 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17) |
| March 4, 2013 | NM | SB 416 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | IL | SB 26 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | WI | SB 1 | Amends Wisconsin's Iron-Ore Mining Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | OK | SB 1062 | Amends State Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | IN | SB 213 | Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | IN | SB 213 | Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | AK | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | AK | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | MN | HF 9 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | IL | SB 622 | Increases Physician License Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | KY | SB 88 | Repeals Regulations on Telephone Utility Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | KY | SB 50 | Authorizes Industrial Hemp Farming | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| Feb. 9, 2013 | MT | SB 96 | Reduces Business Equipment Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| Feb. 7, 2013 | NJ | SCR 1 | Increases Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Feb. 7, 2013 | NJ | SCR 1 | Increases Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Feb. 4, 2013 | WA | SB 5127 | Reduces Age Requirements for Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Feb. 4, 2013 | WA | SB 5128 | Authorizes Voluntary Settlements for Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| Feb. 4, 2013 | WA | SB 5112 | Amends Scheduling Authority In Workers Compensation Rehabilitation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | WY | SF 131 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/26 | SB 13 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Election Days | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 3/26 | HB 1293 | Establishes Micro-Distiller Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| 3/26 | HB 1999 | Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| 3/26 | SB 72 | Exempts Health Clubs From Property Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 3/25 | SF 296 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 3/21 | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 3/21 | H 248 | Establishes Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/15 | HB 1229 | Requires Background Checks for Private Gun Sales and Transfers | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 3/14 | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 3/14 | S Amdt 66 | Temporarily Prohibits the Hiring of Nonessential Federal Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
| 3/13 | SB 81 | Establishes the Charlotte Regional Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 3/12 | SB 26 | Amends State Tax Code | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/11 | HB 1228 | Establishes a Background Check Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 3/07 | HF 5 | Establishes the Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 28) |
| 3/06 | S 1117 | Authorizes Permits for Heavy Trucks on Certain Routes | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 3/04 | SB 416 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17) |
| 3/04 | SB 416 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17) |
| 2/28 | SB 26 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19) |
| 2/27 | SB 1 | Amends Wisconsin's Iron-Ore Mining Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/27 | SB 1062 | Amends State Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12) |
| 2/26 | SB 213 | Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| 2/26 | SB 213 | Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| 2/19 | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| 2/19 | HB 80 | Amends Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| 2/14 | HF 9 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22) |
| 2/14 | SB 622 | Increases Physician License Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19) |
| 2/14 | SB 88 | Repeals Regulations on Telephone Utility Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 2/14 | SB 50 | Authorizes Industrial Hemp Farming | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 2/09 | SB 96 | Reduces Business Equipment Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| 2/07 | SCR 1 | Increases Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 2/07 | SCR 1 | Increases Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 2/04 | SB 5127 | Reduces Age Requirements for Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 2/04 | SB 5128 | Authorizes Voluntary Settlements for Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| 2/04 | SB 5112 | Amends Scheduling Authority In Workers Compensation Rehabilitation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| 1/31 | SF 131 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |