Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 26, 2014 VA SB 236 Authorizes Religious Expression in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
Feb. 6, 2014 VA HB 11 Requires New Textbooks to Refer to The East Sea Bill Passed - House (81 - 15)
Feb. 6, 2014 VA HJ 9 Encourages Congress to Convene a Constitutional Convention Joint Resolution Failed - House (29 - 67)
Feb. 3, 2014 VA HB 706 Authorizes Legislators to Hire Counsel to Represent Virginia in Court Bill Passed - House (65 - 32)
Jan. 30, 2014 VA HB 63 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Interscholastic Programs Bill Passed - House (60 - 39)
Jan. 28, 2014 VA HB 1237 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - House (71 - 27)
Jan. 22, 2014 VA HB 1052 Authorizes the Use of Alternative Methods of Execution Bill Passed - House (64 - 32)
Feb. 22, 2013 VA HB 2313 Repeals the Retail Gas Tax and Establishes a Wholesale Gas Tax Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 40)
Feb. 20, 2013 VA SB 1324 Establishes Education Institution and Board Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
Feb. 20, 2013 VA SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
Feb. 12, 2013 VA SB 1335 Prohibits Disclosure of Concealed Firearm Permit Information Bill Passed - House (76 - 23)
Feb. 4, 2013 VA HB 1999 Requires the Development of a School Grading System Bill Passed - House (54 - 40)
Jan. 31, 2013 VA HB 1617 Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership Bill Passed - House (80 - 19)
Jan. 31, 2013 VA HB 1442 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students To Participate In Interscholastic Programs Bill Passed - House (56 - 43)
March 8, 2012 VA SB 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
March 1, 2012 VA HB 462 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 35)
Feb. 22, 2012 VA SB 484 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - House (65 - 32)
Feb. 22, 2012 VA SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
Feb. 22, 2012 VA SB 323 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - House (64 - 32)
Feb. 14, 2012 VA HB 1129 Reduces State Employee Retirement Benefits Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
Feb. 14, 2012 VA HB 1060 Requires Law Enforcement to Ask About Immigration Status During an Arrest Bill Passed - House (75 - 25)
Feb. 14, 2012 VA HB 462 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - House (63 - 36)
Feb. 14, 2012 VA HB 1 Defines Life as Beginning at Conception Bill Passed - House (66 - 32)
Feb. 13, 2012 VA HB 576 Amends Teacher Contract and Evaluation Policies Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
Feb. 9, 2012 VA HB 48 Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/26 SB 236 Authorizes Religious Expression in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
2/06 HB 11 Requires New Textbooks to Refer to The East Sea Bill Passed - House (81 - 15)
2/06 HJ 9 Encourages Congress to Convene a Constitutional Convention Joint Resolution Failed - House (29 - 67)
2/03 HB 706 Authorizes Legislators to Hire Counsel to Represent Virginia in Court Bill Passed - House (65 - 32)
1/30 HB 63 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Interscholastic Programs Bill Passed - House (60 - 39)
1/28 HB 1237 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - House (71 - 27)
1/22 HB 1052 Authorizes the Use of Alternative Methods of Execution Bill Passed - House (64 - 32)
2/22 HB 2313 Repeals the Retail Gas Tax and Establishes a Wholesale Gas Tax Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 40)
2/20 SB 1324 Establishes Education Institution and Board Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
2/20 SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
2/12 SB 1335 Prohibits Disclosure of Concealed Firearm Permit Information Bill Passed - House (76 - 23)
2/04 HB 1999 Requires the Development of a School Grading System Bill Passed - House (54 - 40)
1/31 HB 1617 Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership Bill Passed - House (80 - 19)
1/31 HB 1442 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students To Participate In Interscholastic Programs Bill Passed - House (56 - 43)
3/08 SB 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
3/01 HB 462 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 35)
2/22 SB 484 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - House (65 - 32)
2/22 SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
2/22 SB 323 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - House (64 - 32)
2/14 HB 1129 Reduces State Employee Retirement Benefits Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
2/14 HB 1060 Requires Law Enforcement to Ask About Immigration Status During an Arrest Bill Passed - House (75 - 25)
2/14 HB 462 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - House (63 - 36)
2/14 HB 1 Defines Life as Beginning at Conception Bill Passed - House (66 - 32)
2/13 HB 576 Amends Teacher Contract and Evaluation Policies Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
2/09 HB 48 Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)

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