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 6, 2013 ID S 1117 Authorizes Permits for Heavy Trucks on Certain Routes Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
March 5, 2013 AR SB 134 Prohibits Abortion if Fetal Heartbeat Detected Veto Override Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
March 4, 2013 SD SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - House (43 - 23)
March 1, 2013 UT HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
March 1, 2013 UT HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
March 1, 2013 IL HB 1247 Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - House (64 - 46)
Feb. 28, 2013 AR SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Feb. 28, 2013 TN SB 142 Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas Bill Passed - House (72 - 22)
Feb. 28, 2013 NM HJR 10 Extends Education Disbursements from the Land Grant Fund Joint Resolution Passed - House (36 - 33)
Feb. 28, 2013 NM HB 168 Establishes Health Insurance Exchange Bill Failed - House (30 - 39)
Feb. 28, 2013 KS SB 82 Extends Renewable Energy Requirements for Utilities Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 23)
Feb. 28, 2013 MI HB 4111 Appropriates Federal Funding for Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - House (78 - 31)
Feb. 28, 2013 MO HJR 11 Establishes the Constitutional Right to Farm Joint Resolution Passed - House (110 - 41)
Feb. 28, 2013 MT HB 505 Prohibits Physician-Assisted Suicide Bill Passed - House (51 - 46)
Feb. 27, 2013 ND HB 1362 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (57 - 36)
Feb. 27, 2013 NM HB 64 Amends Educational Employee Pension Funds and Policies Bill Passed - House (50 - 17)
Feb. 27, 2013 KY HB 416 Establishes the Kentucky Retirement Systems Sustainability Trust Fund Bill Passed - House (52 - 47)
Feb. 26, 2013 WY HB 77 Establishes Wyoming Lottery Corporation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 13)
Feb. 26, 2013 NC SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16)
Feb. 26, 2013 NC SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 40)
Feb. 26, 2013 WY HB 77 Establishes Wyoming Lottery Corporation Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 25)
Feb. 26, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 41)
Feb. 26, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (71 - 27)
Feb. 26, 2013 UT SB 109 Authorizes the State Engineer to Manage Water Usage Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
Feb. 26, 2013 IN SB 207 Authorizes Certain Undocumented Students to Receive In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/06 S 1117 Authorizes Permits for Heavy Trucks on Certain Routes Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
3/05 SB 134 Prohibits Abortion if Fetal Heartbeat Detected Veto Override Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
3/04 SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - House (43 - 23)
3/01 HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
3/01 HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
3/01 HB 1247 Prohibits Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - House (64 - 46)
2/28 SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
2/28 SB 142 Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas Bill Passed - House (72 - 22)
2/28 HJR 10 Extends Education Disbursements from the Land Grant Fund Joint Resolution Passed - House (36 - 33)
2/28 HB 168 Establishes Health Insurance Exchange Bill Failed - House (30 - 39)
2/28 SB 82 Extends Renewable Energy Requirements for Utilities Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 23)
2/28 HB 4111 Appropriates Federal Funding for Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - House (78 - 31)
2/28 HJR 11 Establishes the Constitutional Right to Farm Joint Resolution Passed - House (110 - 41)
2/28 HB 505 Prohibits Physician-Assisted Suicide Bill Passed - House (51 - 46)
2/27 HB 1362 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (57 - 36)
2/27 HB 64 Amends Educational Employee Pension Funds and Policies Bill Passed - House (50 - 17)
2/27 HB 416 Establishes the Kentucky Retirement Systems Sustainability Trust Fund Bill Passed - House (52 - 47)
2/26 HB 77 Establishes Wyoming Lottery Corporation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 13)
2/26 SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16)
2/26 SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 40)
2/26 HB 77 Establishes Wyoming Lottery Corporation Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 25)
2/26 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 41)
2/26 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (71 - 27)
2/26 SB 109 Authorizes the State Engineer to Manage Water Usage Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
2/26 SB 207 Authorizes Certain Undocumented Students to Receive In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)

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