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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 20, 2014 | CA | AB 800 | Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Sept. 10, 2013 | CA | AB 484 | Amends State School Testing Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| July 8, 2013 | CA | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| June 14, 2013 | CA | AB 76 | Specifies that Compliance with the California Public Records Act is Optional | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 7, 2013 | CA | SB 1-1 | Expands Eligibility for Medi-Cal Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| Aug. 23, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| June 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| Sept. 10, 2011 | CA | SB 202 | Limiting Ballot Initiatives to the General Election | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Sept. 9, 2011 | CA | SB 292 | Authorizes Governor to Expedite Environmental Review | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| Sept. 9, 2011 | CA | SB 922 | Project Labor Agreements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Sept. 9, 2011 | CA | SB 51 | Compliance with Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 16) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Aug. 29, 2011 | CA | AB 46 | Small City Disincorporation | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| July 14, 2011 | CA | AB 459 | National Popular Vote Interstate Compact | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| May 9, 2011 | CA | SB 168 | Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| March 17, 2011 | CA | AB 109 | Criminal Justice Realignment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Aug. 25, 2010 | CA | SB 970 | College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| April 26, 2010 | CA | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| April 26, 2010 | CA | AB 711 | Authorizing Loan for East Los Angeles Incorporation Study | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| April 26, 2010 | CA | AB 711 | Authorizing Loan for East Los Angeles Incorporation Study | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| March 11, 2010 | CA | SBx8 32 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| March 4, 2010 | CA | ABx8 9 | Tax and Transportation Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| March 4, 2010 | CA | ABx8 6 | Fuel Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Feb. 18, 2010 | CA | ABx8 8 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2010 | CA | ABx8 2 | 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/20 | AB 800 | Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 9/10 | AB 484 | Amends State School Testing Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 7/08 | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 6/14 | AB 76 | Specifies that Compliance with the California Public Records Act is Optional | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/07 | SB 1-1 | Expands Eligibility for Medi-Cal Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 8/23 | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 6/27 | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 9/10 | SB 202 | Limiting Ballot Initiatives to the General Election | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 9/09 | SB 292 | Authorizes Governor to Expedite Environmental Review | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| 9/09 | SB 922 | Project Labor Agreements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 9/09 | SB 51 | Compliance with Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 16) |
| 9/06 | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 8/29 | AB 46 | Small City Disincorporation | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| 7/14 | AB 459 | National Popular Vote Interstate Compact | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 5/09 | SB 168 | Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 3/17 | AB 109 | Criminal Justice Realignment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 8/25 | SB 970 | College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 4/26 | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| 4/26 | AB 711 | Authorizing Loan for East Los Angeles Incorporation Study | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 4/26 | AB 711 | Authorizing Loan for East Los Angeles Incorporation Study | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 3/11 | SBx8 32 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 3/04 | ABx8 9 | Tax and Transportation Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 3/04 | ABx8 6 | Fuel Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 2/18 | ABx8 8 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 2/18 | ABx8 2 | 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |