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 13, 2013 OK HB 1021 Prohibits the Enforcement of the Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - House (72 - 20)
March 11, 2013 KY SB 1 Establishes an Electronic Ballot Transmission System for Military and Overseas Voters Bill Passed - House (57 - 42)
March 10, 2013 NM HCR 1 Limits the Disclosure of Legislative Information Bill Passed - House (48 - 16)
March 7, 2013 KY HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
March 7, 2013 AL SB 41 Amends Employment Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
March 7, 2013 MO HJR 4 Increases Representative Term Limits Joint Resolution Passed - House (121 - 31)
Feb. 28, 2013 AR SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Feb. 28, 2013 NM HJR 10 Extends Education Disbursements from the Land Grant Fund Joint Resolution Passed - House (36 - 33)
Feb. 28, 2013 MD SB 281 Amends Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19)
Feb. 28, 2013 MO HJR 11 Establishes the Constitutional Right to Farm Joint Resolution Passed - House (110 - 41)
Feb. 25, 2013 IN HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (78 - 17)
Feb. 22, 2013 ND HB 1385 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - House (19 - 72)
Feb. 22, 2013 MT HB 304 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit Bill Passed - House (58 - 41)
Feb. 21, 2013 AR SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Bill Passed - House (68 - 20)
Feb. 21, 2013 KY HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
Feb. 20, 2013 VA SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
Feb. 20, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 18, 2013 CO HB 1229 Requires Background Checks For Private Gun Sales and Transfers Bill Passed - House (36 - 29)
Feb. 14, 2013 MO HB 48 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (105 - 48)
Feb. 14, 2013 VT S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
Feb. 7, 2013 ND SCR 4009 Expands "Right to Life" to Human Beings at Any Stage of Development Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
Feb. 6, 2013 NH CACR1 Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149)
Feb. 5, 2013 VA SB 719 Amends Voting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 5, 2013 VA SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 1, 2013 MT HB 30 Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (60 - 38)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/13 HB 1021 Prohibits the Enforcement of the Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - House (72 - 20)
3/11 SB 1 Establishes an Electronic Ballot Transmission System for Military and Overseas Voters Bill Passed - House (57 - 42)
3/10 HCR 1 Limits the Disclosure of Legislative Information Bill Passed - House (48 - 16)
3/07 HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
3/07 SB 41 Amends Employment Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
3/07 HJR 4 Increases Representative Term Limits Joint Resolution Passed - House (121 - 31)
2/28 SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
2/28 HJR 10 Extends Education Disbursements from the Land Grant Fund Joint Resolution Passed - House (36 - 33)
2/28 SB 281 Amends Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19)
2/28 HJR 11 Establishes the Constitutional Right to Farm Joint Resolution Passed - House (110 - 41)
2/25 HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (78 - 17)
2/22 HB 1385 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - House (19 - 72)
2/22 HB 304 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit Bill Passed - House (58 - 41)
2/21 SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Bill Passed - House (68 - 20)
2/21 HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
2/20 SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
2/20 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/18 HB 1229 Requires Background Checks For Private Gun Sales and Transfers Bill Passed - House (36 - 29)
2/14 HB 48 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (105 - 48)
2/14 S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
2/07 SCR 4009 Expands "Right to Life" to Human Beings at Any Stage of Development Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
2/06 CACR1 Requires Three-Fifths Majority for Tax Increases "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (206 - 149)
2/05 SB 719 Amends Voting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/05 SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/01 HB 30 Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (60 - 38)

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