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
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/14 SB 1010 Amends Penalties for Cocaine Possession Bill Passed - House (50 - 19)
8/13 Initiation of Legislation Authorizes Natural Resources Commission to Manage the Taking of Game Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
8/01 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)
8/01 HR 5230 Making Supplemental Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2014, and for Other Purposes Bill Passed - House (223 - 189)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
7/30 HB 1133 Amends Technical Language in Education, Firearm, and Economic Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
7/25 HB 1133 Amends Technical Language in Education, Firearm, and Economic Statutes Bill Passed - House (61 - 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 S 2578 Protect Women's Health From Corporate Interference Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43)
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)
7/02 HB 1004 Amends the Public School Health Insurance Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
7/01 SB 220 Appropriates Funds for State Casino Relief Bill Passed - House (27 - 10)
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)
6/25 SB 220 Appropriates Funds for State Casino Relief Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
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)
6/18 A 8769A Prohibits Workplace Discrimination Based on Reproductive Health Decisions Bill Passed - House (106 - 30)
6/16 A 6983B Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy on Minors Bill Passed - House (105 - 28)

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