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 9, 2014 | National | PN 1736 | Nomination of Julian Castro to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (71 - 26) |
| July 8, 2014 | PA | HB 1177 | Authorizes Cigarette and Hotel Taxes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 5) |
| July 1, 2014 | PA | HB 1177 | Authorizes Cigarette and Hotel Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| June 25, 2014 | DE | SB 220 | Appropriates Funds for State Casino Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| June 20, 2014 | NY | A 6357E | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10) |
| June 12, 2014 | MA | H 4111 | Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| June 12, 2014 | MI | HB 5477 | Increases Gasoline and Diesel Tax | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 20) |
| June 11, 2014 | National | S 2432 | Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 38) |
| May 29, 2014 | IL | SB 741 | Expands Medicaid Services | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (46 - 10) |
| May 29, 2014 | CA | SB 1000 | Requires Health Warning Labels on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| May 29, 2014 | CA | SB 837 | Establishes the California Prekindergarten Program | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| May 28, 2014 | OH | SB 310 | Amends Energy Laws | 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 28, 2014 | CA | SB 1319 | Expands Prevention and Response Programs for Oil Spills | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 23, 2014 | OK | HJR 1033 | Authorizes Bonds for Capitol Repairs | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 8) |
| May 22, 2014 | OK | SB 1848 | Amends Standards for Abortion Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 9) |
| May 21, 2014 | LA | HB 1091 | Prohibits the Transportation of Dogs in the Bed of a Pickup Truck on Interstates | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| May 16, 2014 | MN | HF 2293 | Amends Regulations for Payday Lenders | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 25) |
| May 15, 2014 | IL | HB 4075 | Establishes Standards for Ridesharing Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 8) |
| May 14, 2014 | LA | HB 388 | Requires Abortion Providers to Have Hospital Admitting Privileges | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 3) |
| May 12, 2014 | NJ | A 2777 | Amends Firearm Transportation Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| May 1, 2014 | IA | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| April 30, 2014 | NY | A 9206 | Authorizes Traffic Cameras on Long Island | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 11) |
| April 29, 2014 | MO | HJR 68 | Increases Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| April 25, 2014 | AK | HB 23 | Establishes Funding for the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (KABATA) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 4) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/09 | PN 1736 | Nomination of Julian Castro to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (71 - 26) |
| 7/08 | HB 1177 | Authorizes Cigarette and Hotel Taxes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 5) |
| 7/01 | HB 1177 | Authorizes Cigarette and Hotel Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| 6/25 | SB 220 | Appropriates Funds for State Casino Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 6/20 | A 6357E | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10) |
| 6/12 | H 4111 | Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 6/12 | HB 5477 | Increases Gasoline and Diesel Tax | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 20) |
| 6/11 | S 2432 | Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 38) |
| 5/29 | SB 741 | Expands Medicaid Services | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (46 - 10) |
| 5/29 | SB 1000 | Requires Health Warning Labels on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 5/29 | SB 837 | Establishes the California Prekindergarten Program | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| 5/28 | SB 310 | Amends Energy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 5/28 | SB 968 | Requires Public Access Route to Martin's Beach | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 5/28 | SB 1319 | Expands Prevention and Response Programs for Oil Spills | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/23 | HJR 1033 | Authorizes Bonds for Capitol Repairs | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 8) |
| 5/22 | SB 1848 | Amends Standards for Abortion Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 9) |
| 5/21 | HB 1091 | Prohibits the Transportation of Dogs in the Bed of a Pickup Truck on Interstates | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 5/16 | HF 2293 | Amends Regulations for Payday Lenders | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 25) |
| 5/15 | HB 4075 | Establishes Standards for Ridesharing Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 8) |
| 5/14 | HB 388 | Requires Abortion Providers to Have Hospital Admitting Privileges | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 3) |
| 5/12 | A 2777 | Amends Firearm Transportation Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 5/01 | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| 4/30 | A 9206 | Authorizes Traffic Cameras on Long Island | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HJR 68 | Increases Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 4/25 | HB 23 | Establishes Funding for the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (KABATA) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 4) |