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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2, 2014 | AL | HB 489 | Increases the Time Physicians Have to Provide Certain Information Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| March 19, 2014 | AL | SB 354 | Authorizes Individuals Without Concealed Carry Licenses to Carry Firearms in Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| Feb. 26, 2014 | AL | SB 63 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | AL | SB 18 | Authorizes a School District to Educate on Traditional Winter Celebrations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | AL | SB 168 | Prohibits Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| May 20, 2013 | AL | SB 445 | Repeals Limits on Campaign Financing | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 9, 2013 | AL | HB 658 | Amends The School "Accountability Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| May 7, 2013 | AL | HB 9 | Authorizes Home Brewing | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| April 30, 2013 | AL | SB 93 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| April 25, 2013 | AL | SB 340 | Amends the Medicaid Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
| April 24, 2013 | AL | SB 191 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| April 2, 2013 | AL | HB 57 | Establishes Requirements for Medical Care at Abortion Clinics | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| March 7, 2013 | AL | SB 41 | Amends Employment Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | AL | HB 84 | Authorizes Schools to Apply for Waivers from State Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 11) |
| May 24, 2012 | AL | HB 19 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 22, 2012 | AL | SB 25 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| May 16, 2012 | AL | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 6) |
| May 16, 2012 | AL | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| May 10, 2012 | AL | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| May 2, 2012 | AL | SB 513 | Authorizes Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 1, 2012 | AL | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| April 10, 2012 | AL | SB 388 | Amends State Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| April 3, 2012 | AL | SB 396 | Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| June 9, 2011 | AL | HB 414 | Increasing Retirement Contributions for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| June 9, 2011 | AL | HB 60 | Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/02 | HB 489 | Increases the Time Physicians Have to Provide Certain Information Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 3/19 | SB 354 | Authorizes Individuals Without Concealed Carry Licenses to Carry Firearms in Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 2/26 | SB 63 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4) |
| 2/13 | SB 18 | Authorizes a School District to Educate on Traditional Winter Celebrations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 2/11 | SB 168 | Prohibits Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 5/20 | SB 445 | Repeals Limits on Campaign Financing | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 5/09 | HB 658 | Amends The School "Accountability Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 5/07 | HB 9 | Authorizes Home Brewing | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| 4/30 | SB 93 | Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| 4/25 | SB 340 | Amends the Medicaid Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
| 4/24 | SB 191 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 4/02 | HB 57 | Establishes Requirements for Medical Care at Abortion Clinics | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 3/07 | SB 41 | Amends Employment Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 2/28 | HB 84 | Authorizes Schools to Apply for Waivers from State Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 5/24 | HB 19 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/22 | SB 25 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 5/16 | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 6) |
| 5/16 | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 5/10 | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 5/02 | SB 513 | Authorizes Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/01 | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 4/10 | SB 388 | Amends State Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 4/03 | SB 396 | Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 6/09 | HB 414 | Increasing Retirement Contributions for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 6/09 | HB 60 | Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 9) |