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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 2013 | MN | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |
| May 18, 2013 | MN | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 28) |
| May 17, 2013 | MN | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22) |
| May 14, 2013 | OK | HB 2301 | 2014-2015 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| May 8, 2013 | AZ | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| May 6, 2013 | OK | SB 652 | Increases Driver's License Fees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| May 1, 2013 | IL | SB 1739 | Expands State Casino Development | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20) |
| April 30, 2013 | IA | HF 638 | Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 30, 2013 | MI | SB 197 | Requires the State Prison Food Service To Seek Competitive Bids From Private Entities | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| April 29, 2013 | FL | SB 306 | Authorizes Professional Sports Teams to Bid for State Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4) |
| April 27, 2013 | IN | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 11) |
| April 25, 2013 | MN | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 28) |
| April 25, 2013 | MN | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| April 24, 2013 | AL | SB 191 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| April 23, 2013 | OR | SB 833 | Authorizes Drivers Licenses for Individuals Without Legal Proof of US Residence | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| April 18, 2013 | IA | HF 604 | 2013-2014 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 18, 2013 | MT | HB 377 | Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| April 17, 2013 | AR | HB 1219 | Appropriates Funds for Private Health Insurance Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| April 17, 2013 | IA | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 17, 2013 | MN | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 18) |
| April 16, 2013 | MT | HB 2 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| April 16, 2013 | MT | HB 13 | Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| April 16, 2013 | IA | SF 440 | Appropriates Funds for Mental Health Services | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| April 16, 2013 | MN | SF 1589 | Increases Legislator Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
| April 16, 2013 | IA | SF 439 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/19 | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |
| 5/18 | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 28) |
| 5/17 | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22) |
| 5/14 | HB 2301 | 2014-2015 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| 5/08 | HB 2608 | Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 5/06 | SB 652 | Increases Driver's License Fees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 5/01 | SB 1739 | Expands State Casino Development | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20) |
| 4/30 | HF 638 | Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 4/30 | SB 197 | Requires the State Prison Food Service To Seek Competitive Bids From Private Entities | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 4/29 | SB 306 | Authorizes Professional Sports Teams to Bid for State Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4) |
| 4/27 | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 4/25 | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 28) |
| 4/25 | HF 1233 | 2013-2015 Biennium Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| 4/24 | SB 191 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 4/23 | SB 833 | Authorizes Drivers Licenses for Individuals Without Legal Proof of US Residence | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 4/18 | HF 604 | 2013-2014 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 4/18 | HB 377 | Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 4/17 | HB 1219 | Appropriates Funds for Private Health Insurance Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 4/17 | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 4/17 | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 18) |
| 4/16 | HB 2 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 4/16 | HB 13 | Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| 4/16 | SF 440 | Appropriates Funds for Mental Health Services | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 4/16 | SF 1589 | Increases Legislator Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
| 4/16 | SF 439 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |