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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 14, 2014 | CA | SB 1010 | Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession | Bill Passed - House (50 - 19) |
| Aug. 13, 2014 | MI | Initiation of Legislation | Authorizes Natural Resources Commission to Manage the Taking of Game | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Aug. 1, 2014 | National | HR 5272 | To Prohibit Certain Actions with Respect to Deferred Action for Aliens Not Lawfully Present in the United States, and for Other Purposes | Bill Passed - House (216 - 192) |
| Aug. 1, 2014 | National | HR 5230 | Making Supplemental Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2014, and for Other Purposes | Bill Passed - House (223 - 189) |
| July 31, 2014 | MA | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3) |
| July 31, 2014 | MA | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3) |
| July 31, 2014 | MA | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30) |
| July 31, 2014 | MA | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30) |
| July 30, 2014 | NC | HB 1133 | Amends Technical Language in Education, Firearm, and Economic Statutes | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
| July 25, 2014 | NC | HB 1133 | Amends Technical Language in Education, Firearm, and Economic Statutes | Bill Passed - House (61 - 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 | S 2578 | Protect Women's Health From Corporate Interference Act of 2014 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43) |
| 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 2, 2014 | AR | HB 1004 | Amends the Public School Health Insurance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| July 1, 2014 | DE | SB 220 | Appropriates Funds for State Casino Relief | Bill Passed - House (27 - 10) |
| 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 25, 2014 | DE | SB 220 | Appropriates Funds for State Casino Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 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 18, 2014 | NY | A 8769A | Prohibits Workplace Discrimination Based on Reproductive Health Decisions | Bill Passed - House (106 - 30) |
| June 16, 2014 | NY | A 6983B | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy on Minors | Bill Passed - House (105 - 28) |