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 27, 2014 | IA | HF 2438 | Establishes a Retroactive Heavy Equipment Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 27, 2014 | NH | SB 367 | Amends Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| March 21, 2014 | MN | HF 1777 | Amends Tax Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 5) |
| March 20, 2014 | GA | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 13) |
| March 20, 2014 | MD | HB 739 | Amends Estate Tax Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| March 19, 2014 | SC | H 3101 | Prohibits Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 33) |
| March 13, 2014 | IN | SB 1 | Amends State Business Tax Rates | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 12) |
| March 13, 2014 | NH | SB 364 | Increase Retirement Benefits for Public Employees | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - Senate (12 - 11) |
| March 12, 2014 | SD | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Veto Override Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| March 12, 2014 | ME | LD 1487 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13) |
| March 6, 2014 | KS | HB 2338 | Appropriates Funds to the Judicial Branch | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 4, 2014 | OK | SB 1651 | Appropriates Funds for the Native American Cultural Center | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| March 4, 2014 | WI | SB 1 | Reduces State Income Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| March 3, 2014 | WY | HB 1 | 2014-2016 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Feb. 28, 2014 | CO | SB 29 | Requires Paint Manufacturers to Establish Recycling Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | OK | SB 1246 | Amends State Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 10) |
| Feb. 24, 2014 | GA | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | OK | SB 2044 | Authorizes Bonds for Capitol Repairs | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | NM | SB 347 | Appropriates Funds to the Lottery Tuition Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11) |
| Feb. 16, 2014 | NM | SB 263 | Increases the Liquor Excise Tax Rate | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | National | S 540 | Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (55 - 43) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | National | S 540 | Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act | Cloture Invoked - Senate (67 - 31) |
| Feb. 10, 2014 | SD | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | IL | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | IL | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | IA | SF 2079 | Increases School Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | IN | SB 1 | Amends State Business Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| Jan. 16, 2014 | National | HR 3547 | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 26) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/27 | HF 2438 | Establishes a Retroactive Heavy Equipment Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/27 | SB 367 | Amends Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| 3/21 | HF 1777 | Amends Tax Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 5) |
| 3/20 | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 13) |
| 3/20 | HB 739 | Amends Estate Tax Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| 3/19 | H 3101 | Prohibits Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 33) |
| 3/13 | SB 1 | Amends State Business Tax Rates | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 3/13 | SB 364 | Increase Retirement Benefits for Public Employees | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - Senate (12 - 11) |
| 3/12 | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Veto Override Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| 3/12 | LD 1487 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 3/06 | HB 2338 | Appropriates Funds to the Judicial Branch | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/04 | SB 1651 | Appropriates Funds for the Native American Cultural Center | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 3/04 | SB 1 | Reduces State Income Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 3/03 | HB 1 | 2014-2016 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 2/28 | SB 29 | Requires Paint Manufacturers to Establish Recycling Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/27 | SB 1246 | Amends State Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 10) |
| 2/24 | SR 415 | Prohibits Increase in State Income Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| 2/20 | SB 2044 | Authorizes Bonds for Capitol Repairs | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 2/18 | SB 347 | Appropriates Funds to the Lottery Tuition Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11) |
| 2/16 | SB 263 | Increases the Liquor Excise Tax Rate | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
| 2/12 | S 540 | Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (55 - 43) |
| 2/12 | S 540 | Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act | Cloture Invoked - Senate (67 - 31) |
| 2/10 | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/05 | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 2/05 | SB 1227 | Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 2/05 | SF 2079 | Increases School Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 1/30 | SB 1 | Amends State Business Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| 1/16 | HR 3547 | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 26) |