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
Feb. 19, 2013 AL HB 57 Establishes Requirements for Medical Care at Abortion Clinics Bill Passed - House (73 - 23)
Feb. 19, 2013 IA HF 215 Appropriates Education Funding and Establishes New Programs Bill Passed - House (52 - 44)
Feb. 18, 2013 AR HB 1295 Establishes Tiered System for Lottery Scholarships Bill Passed - House (69 - 21)
Feb. 18, 2013 ND SB 2303 Defines a "Human Being" Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23)
Feb. 14, 2013 MN HF 9 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22)
Feb. 14, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40)
Feb. 14, 2013 IL SB 622 Increases Physician License Fees Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19)
Feb. 14, 2013 VT S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
Feb. 14, 2013 KY HB 131 Authorizes Immigrants to Remain Enrolled in High School up to Age 23 Bill Passed - House (71 - 26)
Feb. 14, 2013 KY SB 50 Authorizes Industrial Hemp Farming Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
Feb. 14, 2013 IA SF 162 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
Feb. 13, 2013 VA HB 2313 Repeals the Retail Gas Tax and Establishes a Wholesale Gas Tax Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
Feb. 13, 2013 NC HB 66 Authorizes the Use and Display of Wild Animals in Cultural Activities Bill Passed - House (98 - 20)
Feb. 13, 2013 VT Galbraith and Hartwell Amdt Establishes Immunity for Doctors Prescribing or People Present to Lethal Dosage Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 15)
Feb. 13, 2013 KY SB 9 Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 12, 2013 MT HB 315 Establishes Public Charter Schools Bill Failed - House (49 - 50)
Feb. 11, 2013 UT HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - House (41 - 30)
Feb. 11, 2013 TN SB 142 Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
Feb. 11, 2013 UT HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - House (41 - 30)
Feb. 11, 2013 IN SJR 7 Guarantees Right to Hunt and Fish Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
Feb. 8, 2013 KY SB 5 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4)
Feb. 8, 2013 MD SB 74 Prohibits Operating a Vessel Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8)
Feb. 7, 2013 IN HB 1005 Changes Eligibility for College Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (86 - 13)
Feb. 6, 2013 SD SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
Feb. 6, 2013 SD SB 107 Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/19 HB 57 Establishes Requirements for Medical Care at Abortion Clinics Bill Passed - House (73 - 23)
2/19 HF 215 Appropriates Education Funding and Establishes New Programs Bill Passed - House (52 - 44)
2/18 HB 1295 Establishes Tiered System for Lottery Scholarships Bill Passed - House (69 - 21)
2/18 SB 2303 Defines a "Human Being" Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23)
2/14 HF 9 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22)
2/14 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40)
2/14 SB 622 Increases Physician License Fees Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 19)
2/14 S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
2/14 HB 131 Authorizes Immigrants to Remain Enrolled in High School up to Age 23 Bill Passed - House (71 - 26)
2/14 SB 50 Authorizes Industrial Hemp Farming Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
2/14 SF 162 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
2/13 HB 2313 Repeals the Retail Gas Tax and Establishes a Wholesale Gas Tax Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
2/13 HB 66 Authorizes the Use and Display of Wild Animals in Cultural Activities Bill Passed - House (98 - 20)
2/13 Galbraith and Hartwell Amdt Establishes Immunity for Doctors Prescribing or People Present to Lethal Dosage Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 15)
2/13 SB 9 Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/12 HB 315 Establishes Public Charter Schools Bill Failed - House (49 - 50)
2/11 HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - House (41 - 30)
2/11 SB 142 Authorizes Handguns in Parking Areas Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
2/11 HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Present Bill Passed - House (41 - 30)
2/11 SJR 7 Guarantees Right to Hunt and Fish Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
2/08 SB 5 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4)
2/08 SB 74 Prohibits Operating a Vessel Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8)
2/07 HB 1005 Changes Eligibility for College Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (86 - 13)
2/06 SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
2/06 SB 107 Limits Drivers With Restricted Permits To 1 Passenger Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)

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