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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2014 | MA | Amdt 17 | Limits Use of Non-Competition Agreements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 7) |
| June 30, 2014 | NJ | S 602 | Increases the Legal Age to Purchase of Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| June 26, 2014 | NJ | A 1999 | Prohibits an Employer From Considering an Applicant's Criminal History | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 24) |
| June 26, 2014 | DE | HB 13 | Prohibits Lawmakers from Becoming Lobbyists for 1 Year After Leaving Office | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (33 - 7) |
| June 20, 2014 | NY | A 6357E | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10) |
| June 19, 2014 | NY | A 6357E | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (117 - 13) |
| June 19, 2014 | RI | H 7194A | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| June 19, 2014 | RI | H 7194A | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| June 18, 2014 | MA | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - House (124 - 24) |
| June 18, 2014 | MA | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - House (124 - 24) |
| June 18, 2014 | MA | S 2132 | Establishes Labor Standards for Domestic Workers | Bill Passed - House (126 - 22) |
| June 18, 2014 | RI | H 7194A | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| June 18, 2014 | NY | A 8769A | Prohibits Workplace Discrimination Based on Reproductive Health Decisions | Bill Passed - House (106 - 30) |
| June 18, 2014 | RI | H 7194A | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| June 17, 2014 | RI | H 7764 | Prohibits Certain Employers From Hiring Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - House (67 - 3) |
| June 16, 2014 | NJ | SCR 116 | Specifies that the Job Banding Rule is Not Consistent with Legislative Intent | Resolution Passed - House (47 - 30) |
| June 16, 2014 | NJ | S 783 | Amends the Definition of an Unlawful Employment Practice | Bill Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| June 16, 2014 | NJ | S 1038 | Requires Public Contractors to Report Certain Employment Information | Bill Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| June 12, 2014 | MA | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
| June 12, 2014 | MA | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
| June 12, 2014 | NJ | SCR 116 | Specifies that the Job Banding Rule is Not Consistent with Legislative Intent | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| June 11, 2014 | MA | Amdt 46 | Establishes a Sales Tax Holiday | Amendment Adopted - House (132 - 14) |
| June 5, 2014 | RI | S 2796A | Establishes Preference In State and Business Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 29, 2014 | IL | HB 5701 | Prohibits Requiring Disclosure of Criminal Record Prior to Job Interview | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 47) |
| May 29, 2014 | CA | AB 1522 | Requires Paid Sick Leave for Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/01 | Amdt 17 | Limits Use of Non-Competition Agreements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 7) |
| 6/30 | S 602 | Increases the Legal Age to Purchase of Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 6/26 | A 1999 | Prohibits an Employer From Considering an Applicant's Criminal History | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 24) |
| 6/26 | HB 13 | Prohibits Lawmakers from Becoming Lobbyists for 1 Year After Leaving Office | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (33 - 7) |
| 6/20 | A 6357E | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10) |
| 6/19 | A 6357E | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (117 - 13) |
| 6/19 | H 7194A | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 6/19 | H 7194A | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 6/18 | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - House (124 - 24) |
| 6/18 | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - House (124 - 24) |
| 6/18 | S 2132 | Establishes Labor Standards for Domestic Workers | Bill Passed - House (126 - 22) |
| 6/18 | H 7194A | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| 6/18 | A 8769A | Prohibits Workplace Discrimination Based on Reproductive Health Decisions | Bill Passed - House (106 - 30) |
| 6/18 | H 7194A | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| 6/17 | H 7764 | Prohibits Certain Employers From Hiring Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - House (67 - 3) |
| 6/16 | SCR 116 | Specifies that the Job Banding Rule is Not Consistent with Legislative Intent | Resolution Passed - House (47 - 30) |
| 6/16 | S 783 | Amends the Definition of an Unlawful Employment Practice | Bill Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| 6/16 | S 1038 | Requires Public Contractors to Report Certain Employment Information | Bill Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| 6/12 | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
| 6/12 | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
| 6/12 | SCR 116 | Specifies that the Job Banding Rule is Not Consistent with Legislative Intent | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 6/11 | Amdt 46 | Establishes a Sales Tax Holiday | Amendment Adopted - House (132 - 14) |
| 6/05 | S 2796A | Establishes Preference In State and Business Contracts | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/29 | HB 5701 | Prohibits Requiring Disclosure of Criminal Record Prior to Job Interview | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 47) |
| 5/29 | AB 1522 | Requires Paid Sick Leave for Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 23) |