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
July 31, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
July 30, 2014 National H Res 676 Providing for Authority to Initiate Litigation for Actions by the President or Other Executive Branch Officials Inconsistent with Their Duties Under the Constitution of the United States Resolution Passed - House (225 - 201)
July 23, 2014 MA S 2283 Authorizes Withdrawal Orders around Reproductive Health Care Facilities Bill Passed - House (116 - 35)
July 16, 2014 MA H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
July 16, 2014 MA H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - House (131 - 18)
July 16, 2014 National H Amdt 1098 Prohibits District of Columbia from Implementing Certain Firearm Laws Amendment Adopted - House (241 - 181)
July 9, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
July 9, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
July 9, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
July 1, 2014 MA Amdt 17 Limits Use of Non-Competition Agreements Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 7)
June 26, 2014 DE SB 36 Authorizes Judges to Hold Suspects of Violent Felonies without Bail Amendment Adopted - House (29 - 12)
June 25, 2014 DE SB 36 Authorizes Judges to Hold Suspects of Violent Felonies without Bail Amendment Rejected - House (24 - 15)
June 19, 2014 National H Amdt 935 Prohibits a Federal Employee from Requesting Foreign Intelligence Information in Relation to a US Citizen Amendment Adopted - House (293 - 123)
June 19, 2014 NY A 9583A Authorizes Demonstration Program for Red Light Cameras Bill Passed - House (91 - 37)
June 18, 2014 MA H 4184 Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Bill Passed - House (129 - 16)
June 16, 2014 NJ S 783 Amends the Definition of an Unlawful Employment Practice Bill Passed - House (49 - 26)
June 10, 2014 MI SB 789 Amends Firearm Licensing Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
May 30, 2014 LA SB 469 Prohibits Government Entities from Pursuing Cause of Action under the Coastal Management Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
May 30, 2014 National H Amdt 763 Prohibits Funds from Being Used to Require Journalists to Disclose Sources Amendment Adopted - House (225 - 183)
May 29, 2014 LA SB 469 Prohibits Government Entities from Pursuing Cause of Action under the Coastal Management Program Bill Passed - House (59 - 39)
May 28, 2014 CA AB 1609 Establishes Requirements for Out of State Firearms Transfers Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
May 28, 2014 CA SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 28, 2014 CA SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 28, 2014 CA SB 968 Requires Public Access Route to Martin's Beach Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
May 22, 2014 NJ A 2006 Reduces the Maximum Capacity of Ammunition Magazines Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 34)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
7/30 H Res 676 Providing for Authority to Initiate Litigation for Actions by the President or Other Executive Branch Officials Inconsistent with Their Duties Under the Constitution of the United States Resolution Passed - House (225 - 201)
7/23 S 2283 Authorizes Withdrawal Orders around Reproductive Health Care Facilities Bill Passed - House (116 - 35)
7/16 H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
7/16 H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - House (131 - 18)
7/16 H Amdt 1098 Prohibits District of Columbia from Implementing Certain Firearm Laws Amendment Adopted - House (241 - 181)
7/09 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
7/09 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
7/09 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
7/01 Amdt 17 Limits Use of Non-Competition Agreements Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 7)
6/26 SB 36 Authorizes Judges to Hold Suspects of Violent Felonies without Bail Amendment Adopted - House (29 - 12)
6/25 SB 36 Authorizes Judges to Hold Suspects of Violent Felonies without Bail Amendment Rejected - House (24 - 15)
6/19 H Amdt 935 Prohibits a Federal Employee from Requesting Foreign Intelligence Information in Relation to a US Citizen Amendment Adopted - House (293 - 123)
6/19 A 9583A Authorizes Demonstration Program for Red Light Cameras Bill Passed - House (91 - 37)
6/18 H 4184 Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Bill Passed - House (129 - 16)
6/16 S 783 Amends the Definition of an Unlawful Employment Practice Bill Passed - House (49 - 26)
6/10 SB 789 Amends Firearm Licensing Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
5/30 SB 469 Prohibits Government Entities from Pursuing Cause of Action under the Coastal Management Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
5/30 H Amdt 763 Prohibits Funds from Being Used to Require Journalists to Disclose Sources Amendment Adopted - House (225 - 183)
5/29 SB 469 Prohibits Government Entities from Pursuing Cause of Action under the Coastal Management Program Bill Passed - House (59 - 39)
5/28 AB 1609 Establishes Requirements for Out of State Firearms Transfers Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
5/28 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/28 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/28 SB 968 Requires Public Access Route to Martin's Beach Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
5/22 A 2006 Reduces the Maximum Capacity of Ammunition Magazines Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 34)

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