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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 25, 2014 | CT | HB 5274 | Prohibits Employers from Discriminating Against Unemployed Applicants | Bill Passed - House (81 - 55) |
| April 25, 2014 | CT | HB 5274 | Prohibits Employers from Discriminating Against Unemployed Applicants | Bill Passed - House (81 - 55) |
| April 25, 2014 | FL | HB 7181 | Reforms Retirement Systems for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 44) |
| April 24, 2014 | OK | SJR 21 | Amends Selection Process for Judicial Nominating Commission | Bill Failed - House (31 - 65) |
| April 24, 2014 | OK | SJR 21 | Amends Selection Process for Judicial Nominating Commission | Bill Failed - House (31 - 65) |
| April 23, 2014 | CO | HB 1288 | Amends Student Immunization Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| April 21, 2014 | AZ | HB 2462 | Authorizes the State to Create a Virtual Border | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 20) |
| April 17, 2014 | AZ | HB 2367 | Establishes Work Requirements for Certain Medicaid Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 22) |
| April 17, 2014 | AZ | HB 2462 | Authorizes the State to Create a Virtual Border | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| April 17, 2014 | ME | LD 1578 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (94 - 51) |
| April 17, 2014 | ME | LD 1578 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| April 17, 2014 | AZ | HB 2291 | Expands Eligibility to Empowerment Scholarship Account Program | Bill Failed - House (27 - 31) |
| April 16, 2014 | AZ | HB 2367 | Establishes Work Requirements for Certain Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| April 13, 2014 | AK | HB 384 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (21 - 19) |
| April 10, 2014 | NE | LB 690 | Establishes the Aging Nebraskans Task Force | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 12) |
| April 10, 2014 | MN | HF 2091 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 60) |
| April 10, 2014 | IL | HB 8 | Requires Accommodations for Pregnant Workers | Bill Passed - House (65 - 36) |
| April 9, 2014 | MN | HF 2091 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 31) |
| April 9, 2014 | TN | SB 1391 | Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant | Bill Passed - House (64 - 30) |
| April 9, 2014 | National | S 2199 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| April 9, 2014 | OH | HB 485 | Establishes the Ohio Healthier Buckeye Council and the Office of Human Services Innovation | Bill Passed - House (62 - 30) |
| April 8, 2014 | IL | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| April 8, 2014 | IL | SB 1922 | Amends the City of Chicago Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - House (73 - 41) |
| April 8, 2014 | National | HR 1871 | Baseline Reform Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (230 - 185) |
| April 7, 2014 | MD | HB 295 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (87 - 47) |
| April 7, 2014 | TN | SB 2115 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Certain Students | Bill Passed - House (63 - 27) |
| April 7, 2014 | OK | SB 1023 | Prohibits Any Municipality from Establishing a Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (68 - 22) |
| April 7, 2014 | NE | LB 485 | Prohibits Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 7, 2014 | NE | LB 485 | Prohibits Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 7, 2014 | TN | SB 2039 | Reduces Lifetime Eligibility for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| April 7, 2014 | TN | SB 1391 | Prohibits Women from Using Illegal Substances While Pregnant | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| April 5, 2014 | MD | HB 295 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| April 4, 2014 | KS | HB 2552 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion | (68 - 54) |
| April 4, 2014 | National | HR 1874 | Pro-Growth Budgeting Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (224 - 182) |
| April 3, 2014 | AL | HB 494 | Amends Requirements for Minors Who Seek an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5) |
| April 3, 2014 | AL | SB 63 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (73 - 27) |
| April 3, 2014 | MO | HB 1617 | Requires Yearly Employee Consent for Paycheck Deductions by Public Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - House (83 - 69) |
| April 3, 2014 | MO | SB 673 | Limits Duration of Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| April 3, 2014 | FL | SJR 1188 | Authorizes Governor to Fill Prospective Judicial Vacancies | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| April 3, 2014 | FL | SJR 1188 | Authorizes Governor to Fill Prospective Judicial Vacancies | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| April 2, 2014 | AL | SB 115 | Amends Job Application Requirements for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (70 - 33) |
| April 2, 2014 | MA | H 4026 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (125 - 24) |
| March 31, 2014 | NE | LB 690 | Establishes the Aging Nebraskans Task Force | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| March 31, 2014 | National | HR 4302 | Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
| March 31, 2014 | National | HR 4302 | Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
| March 31, 2014 | NE | LB 943 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| March 27, 2014 | TN | HB 937 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| March 27, 2014 | MD | SB 212 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (82 - 57) |
| March 27, 2014 | TN | HB 937 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| March 27, 2014 | NJ | S 1869 | Extends Salary Limits for Public Safety Employees | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| March 27, 2014 | NJ | S 783 | Amends the Definition of an Unlawful Employment Practice | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 27, 2014 | NJ | S 1038 | Requires Public Contractors to Report Certain Employment Information | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| March 27, 2014 | NJ | S 1869 | Extends Salary Limits for Public Safety Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| March 26, 2014 | CT | SB 32 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (87 - 54) |
| March 26, 2014 | National | HR 1459 | Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act | Bill Passed - House (222 - 201) |
| March 26, 2014 | CT | SB 32 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 25, 2014 | KS | HB 2552 | Prohibits Medicaid Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| March 25, 2014 | NH | SB 413 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (202 - 132) |
| March 24, 2014 | TN | SB 2115 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Certain Students | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| March 24, 2014 | CO | HB 1288 | Amends Student Immunization Laws | Bill Passed - House (42 - 19) |
| March 20, 2014 | GA | HB 60 | Amends Firearm Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (112 - 58) |
| March 20, 2014 | ID | S 1395 | Increases Salaries of Certain State Officials | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| March 20, 2014 | FL | HB 851 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals | Bill Passed - House (81 - 33) |
| March 19, 2014 | NE | LB 887 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (27 - 21) |
| March 18, 2014 | GA | HB 60 | Amends Firearm Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 18) |
| March 18, 2014 | IA | SF 2318 | Amends School Harassment and Bullying Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| March 17, 2014 | NY | A 2597A | Establishes the New York DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Failed - Senate (30 - 29) |
| March 17, 2014 | KY | SB 221 | Authorizes Legislative Leaders to Intervene in Certain Court Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| March 14, 2014 | National | HR 4015 | SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (238 - 181) |
| March 13, 2014 | IN | HB 1351 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 24) |
| March 13, 2014 | IN | HB 1321 | Authorizes Certain School Corporations to Establish Innovation Network Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 18) |
| March 13, 2014 | UT | HB 96 | Establishes a School Readiness Board | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17) |
| March 13, 2014 | IN | HB 1351 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 17) |
| March 13, 2014 | IN | HB 1321 | Authorizes Certain School Corporations to Establish Innovation Network Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (59 - 32) |
| March 13, 2014 | NY | S 2031A | Amends the Board of Regents Appointment Process | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 19) |