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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2013 | CA | AB 277 | Authorizes Gaming on Traditional Tribal Territory | Bill Passed - House (41 - 12) |
| April 25, 2013 | CA | AB 1401 | Authorizes Non-United States Citizens to Serve on Juries | Bill Passed - House (45 - 26) |
| April 25, 2013 | CA | AB 1401 | Authorizes Non-United States Citizens to Serve on Juries | Bill Passed - House (45 - 26) |
| April 18, 2013 | CA | SB 140 | Appropriates Funds to the Armed Prohibited Persons System | Bill Passed - House (65 - 10) |
| March 7, 2013 | CA | AB 1-1 | Expands Eligibility for Medi-Cal Program | Bill Passed - House (54 - 22) |
| Aug. 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1313 | Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33) |
| Aug. 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1234 | Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees | Bill Passed - House (48 - 29) |
| Aug. 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1234 | Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees | Bill Passed - House (48 - 29) |
| Aug. 30, 2012 | CA | AB 2189 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21) |
| Aug. 28, 2012 | CA | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 2109 | Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 29) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Bill Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| Aug. 24, 2012 | CA | AB 1081 | Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 26) |
| June 15, 2012 | CA | AB 1464 | 2012-2013 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 28) |
| May 30, 2012 | CA | AB 1450 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Workers | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| April 30, 2012 | CA | AB 1960 | Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| Sept. 9, 2011 | CA | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| Sept. 9, 2011 | CA | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| Sept. 9, 2011 | CA | SB 922 | Project Labor Agreements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | CA | SB 222 | Relating to Individual Health Care Coverage for Maternity Services | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | CA | SB 292 | Authorizes Governor to Expedite Environmental Review | Bill Passed - House (63 - 13) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| Sept. 2, 2011 | CA | AB 6 | Repeals Fingerprinting Requirement for CalFresh Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| Sept. 2, 2011 | CA | AB 887 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Transgendered Individuals | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 25) |
| Aug. 22, 2011 | CA | AB 433 | Birth Certificates for Transgendered Individuals | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| July 5, 2011 | CA | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| June 1, 2011 | CA | AB 131 | In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| May 19, 2011 | CA | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - House (55 - 22) |
| May 16, 2011 | CA | SB 104 | Labor Representatives | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| May 5, 2011 | CA | AB 130 | Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (51 - 22) |
| Aug. 30, 2010 | CA | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| Aug. 26, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| July 1, 2010 | CA | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| May 13, 2010 | CA | AB 1756 | Food Stamps for Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| April 22, 2010 | CA | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | (53 - 21) |
| Feb. 11, 2010 | CA | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | (37 - 36) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | CA | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | CA | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 17) |
| Sept. 10, 2009 | CA | AB 98 | Required Maternity Services Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| Sept. 10, 2009 | CA | AB 2 | Health Care Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | CA | AB 119 | Prohibiting Gender-Based Health Insurance Pricing | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | CA | SB 54 | Recognizing Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | CA | SB 54 | Recognizing Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| Aug. 31, 2009 | CA | SBx3 18 | Correctional Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| June 22, 2009 | CA | AB 761 | Mobile Home Rent Control | Bill Failed - House (38 - 27) |
| March 2, 2009 | CA | HR 5 | Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 | Resolution Passed - House (45 - 27) |
| Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 2386 | Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 31) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (41 - 31) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | SB 840 | California Universal Healthcare Agency | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| Aug. 13, 2008 | CA | AB 86 | Cyber-Bullying Enforcement | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| Aug. 12, 2008 | CA | AB 1946 | Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 29) |
| Aug. 12, 2008 | CA | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| June 5, 2008 | CA | SB 153 | Property Transfer | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| June 5, 2008 | CA | SB 153 | Property Transfer | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 2076 | Prohibiting E-verify | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 2076 | Prohibiting E-verify | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - House (41 - 35) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2716 | Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - House (45 - 33) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2368 | CalWORKs Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 33) |
| May 27, 2008 | CA | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 30) |
| May 27, 2008 | CA | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 30) |
| May 27, 2008 | CA | AB 1996 | Food Stamps for Convicted Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
| May 19, 2008 | CA | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 624 | Disclosing Organizational Diversity | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| Aug. 27, 2007 | CA | SB 924 | Iraq Withdrawal Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/02 | AB 277 | Authorizes Gaming on Traditional Tribal Territory | Bill Passed - House (41 - 12) |
| 4/25 | AB 1401 | Authorizes Non-United States Citizens to Serve on Juries | Bill Passed - House (45 - 26) |
| 4/25 | AB 1401 | Authorizes Non-United States Citizens to Serve on Juries | Bill Passed - House (45 - 26) |
| 4/18 | SB 140 | Appropriates Funds to the Armed Prohibited Persons System | Bill Passed - House (65 - 10) |
| 3/07 | AB 1-1 | Expands Eligibility for Medi-Cal Program | Bill Passed - House (54 - 22) |
| 8/31 | AB 1313 | Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33) |
| 8/31 | SB 1234 | Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees | Bill Passed - House (48 - 29) |
| 8/31 | SB 1234 | Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees | Bill Passed - House (48 - 29) |
| 8/30 | AB 2189 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21) |
| 8/28 | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| 8/27 | AB 2109 | Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 29) |
| 8/27 | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Bill Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| 8/24 | AB 1081 | Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 26) |
| 6/15 | AB 1464 | 2012-2013 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 28) |
| 5/30 | AB 1450 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Workers | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| 4/30 | AB 1960 | Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| 9/09 | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| 9/09 | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| 9/09 | SB 922 | Project Labor Agreements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| 9/07 | SB 222 | Relating to Individual Health Care Coverage for Maternity Services | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| 9/07 | SB 292 | Authorizes Governor to Expedite Environmental Review | Bill Passed - House (63 - 13) |
| 9/06 | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| 9/06 | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| 9/02 | AB 6 | Repeals Fingerprinting Requirement for CalFresh Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| 9/02 | AB 887 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Transgendered Individuals | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 25) |
| 8/22 | AB 433 | Birth Certificates for Transgendered Individuals | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| 7/05 | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| 6/01 | AB 131 | In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| 5/19 | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - House (55 - 22) |
| 5/16 | SB 104 | Labor Representatives | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| 5/05 | AB 130 | Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (51 - 22) |
| 8/30 | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| 8/26 | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| 7/01 | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| 6/02 | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| 5/13 | AB 1756 | Food Stamps for Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| 4/22 | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | (53 - 21) |
| 2/11 | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | (37 - 36) |
| 1/05 | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| 1/05 | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 17) |
| 9/10 | AB 98 | Required Maternity Services Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| 9/10 | AB 2 | Health Care Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| 9/03 | AB 119 | Prohibiting Gender-Based Health Insurance Pricing | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| 9/03 | SB 54 | Recognizing Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| 9/03 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| 9/03 | SB 54 | Recognizing Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| 8/31 | SBx3 18 | Correctional Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| 6/22 | AB 761 | Mobile Home Rent Control | Bill Failed - House (38 - 27) |
| 3/02 | HR 5 | Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 | Resolution Passed - House (45 - 27) |
| 8/31 | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| 8/29 | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18) |
| 8/29 | AB 2386 | Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 31) |
| 8/29 | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18) |
| 8/29 | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (41 - 31) |
| 8/29 | SB 840 | California Universal Healthcare Agency | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| 8/13 | AB 86 | Cyber-Bullying Enforcement | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| 8/12 | AB 1946 | Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 29) |
| 8/12 | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 8/07 | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| 6/05 | SB 153 | Property Transfer | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| 6/05 | SB 153 | Property Transfer | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| 5/29 | AB 2076 | Prohibiting E-verify | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
| 5/29 | AB 2076 | Prohibiting E-verify | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
| 5/28 | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - House (41 - 35) |
| 5/28 | AB 2716 | Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - House (45 - 33) |
| 5/28 | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
| 5/28 | AB 2368 | CalWORKs Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 33) |
| 5/27 | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 30) |
| 5/27 | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 30) |
| 5/27 | AB 1996 | Food Stamps for Convicted Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
| 5/19 | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| 1/29 | AB 624 | Disclosing Organizational Diversity | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| 8/27 | SB 924 | Iraq Withdrawal Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |