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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 27, 2013 | DE | HB 88 | Prohibits Certain Individuals with Mental Health Issues from Possessing Firearms | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 13) |
| June 19, 2013 | DE | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| June 19, 2013 | DE | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| June 18, 2013 | DE | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| June 18, 2013 | DE | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| May 7, 2013 | DE | HB 75 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| May 2, 2013 | DE | SB 16 | Requires Gun Owners to Report Missing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| May 2, 2013 | DE | SB 16 | Requires Gun Owners to Report Missing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| April 23, 2013 | DE | HB 75 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (23 - 18) |
| April 18, 2013 | DE | HB 35 | Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| March 28, 2013 | DE | HB 35 | Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| June 27, 2012 | DE | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| June 13, 2012 | DE | SB 204 | Extends the Gun Buy-back Program | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13) |
| June 12, 2012 | DE | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - House (29 - 8) |
| July 1, 2011 | DE | SB 65 | Expansion of Criminal Nuisance Definition | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| June 23, 2011 | DE | SB 129 | Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| April 14, 2011 | DE | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| April 7, 2011 | DE | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| April 5, 2011 | DE | HB 19 | Reduce Punishment for Drug Possession | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| March 15, 2011 | DE | HA 1 | Reduced Punishment for Drug Possession | Amendment Adopted - House (21 - 17) |
| March 15, 2011 | DE | HA 1 | Reduced Punishment for Drug Possession | Amendment Adopted - House (21 - 17) |
| April 27, 2010 | DE | HB 347 | Raising the Reporting Age for Misdemeanors by Students | Bill Passed - House (22 - 9) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | DE | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| Jan. 21, 2010 | DE | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - House (27 - 5) |
| June 29, 2009 | DE | SB 169 | Health Clinic Access | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| June 24, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| June 24, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| June 24, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| June 24, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| June 4, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | |
| June 4, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | |
| May 12, 2009 | DE | HB 100 | Reestablishing a Sports Lottery | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 2) |
| May 8, 2009 | DE | HB 100 | Reestablishing a Sports Lottery | Bill Passed - House (30 - 4) |
| July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |
| May 15, 2008 | DE | HB 190 | Sports Betting | Bill Passed - House (28 - 10) |
| June 19, 2007 | DE | HA 4 | Amendment to "Child's Victim Act"; State Immunity | Bill Failed - House (17 - 24) |
| June 19, 2007 | DE | HA 4 | Amendment to "Child's Victim Act"; State Immunity | Bill Failed - House (17 - 24) |
| June 14, 2007 | DE | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| June 14, 2007 | DE | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| June 14, 2007 | DE | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| June 29, 2006 | DE | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| June 29, 2006 | DE | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| June 29, 2006 | DE | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| June 28, 2006 | DE | HB 537 | Crop Damage Levels | Bill Passed - House (21 - 18) |
| May 4, 2006 | DE | HB 368 | Hunting License Restrictions for Felons | Bill Passed - House (21 - 14) |
| May 4, 2006 | DE | HB 368 | Hunting License Restrictions for Felons | Bill Passed - House (21 - 14) |
| May 4, 2006 | DE | HB 368 | Hunting License Restrictions for Felons | Bill Passed - House (21 - 14) |
| April 12, 2006 | DE | SB 251 | Full-Day Kindergarten Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 2) |
| April 4, 2006 | DE | HB 37 | Bans Open Containers of Alcoholic Beverages in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (22 - 12) |
| March 28, 2006 | DE | HB 37 | Bans Open Containers of Alcoholic Beverages in Motor Vehicles | Bill Failed - House (24 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/27 | HB 88 | Prohibits Certain Individuals with Mental Health Issues from Possessing Firearms | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 13) |
| 6/19 | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 6/19 | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 6/18 | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| 6/18 | SB 97 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| 5/07 | HB 75 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| 5/02 | SB 16 | Requires Gun Owners to Report Missing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 5/02 | SB 16 | Requires Gun Owners to Report Missing Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 4/23 | HB 75 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (23 - 18) |
| 4/18 | HB 35 | Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| 3/28 | HB 35 | Requires Background Checks Prior to the Purchase of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
| 6/27 | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| 6/13 | SB 204 | Extends the Gun Buy-back Program | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13) |
| 6/12 | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - House (29 - 8) |
| 7/01 | SB 65 | Expansion of Criminal Nuisance Definition | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| 6/23 | SB 129 | Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| 4/14 | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| 4/07 | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| 4/05 | HB 19 | Reduce Punishment for Drug Possession | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| 3/15 | HA 1 | Reduced Punishment for Drug Possession | Amendment Adopted - House (21 - 17) |
| 3/15 | HA 1 | Reduced Punishment for Drug Possession | Amendment Adopted - House (21 - 17) |
| 4/27 | HB 347 | Raising the Reporting Age for Misdemeanors by Students | Bill Passed - House (22 - 9) |
| 1/28 | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| 1/21 | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - House (27 - 5) |
| 6/29 | SB 169 | Health Clinic Access | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| 6/24 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 6/24 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 6/24 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| 6/24 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| 6/04 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | |
| 6/04 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | |
| 5/12 | HB 100 | Reestablishing a Sports Lottery | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 2) |
| 5/08 | HB 100 | Reestablishing a Sports Lottery | Bill Passed - House (30 - 4) |
| 7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| 7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |
| 5/15 | HB 190 | Sports Betting | Bill Passed - House (28 - 10) |
| 6/19 | HA 4 | Amendment to "Child's Victim Act"; State Immunity | Bill Failed - House (17 - 24) |
| 6/19 | HA 4 | Amendment to "Child's Victim Act"; State Immunity | Bill Failed - House (17 - 24) |
| 6/14 | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| 6/14 | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| 6/14 | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| 6/29 | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| 6/29 | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| 6/29 | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| 6/28 | HB 537 | Crop Damage Levels | Bill Passed - House (21 - 18) |
| 5/04 | HB 368 | Hunting License Restrictions for Felons | Bill Passed - House (21 - 14) |
| 5/04 | HB 368 | Hunting License Restrictions for Felons | Bill Passed - House (21 - 14) |
| 5/04 | HB 368 | Hunting License Restrictions for Felons | Bill Passed - House (21 - 14) |
| 4/12 | SB 251 | Full-Day Kindergarten Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 2) |
| 4/04 | HB 37 | Bans Open Containers of Alcoholic Beverages in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (22 - 12) |
| 3/28 | HB 37 | Bans Open Containers of Alcoholic Beverages in Motor Vehicles | Bill Failed - House (24 - 13) |