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. 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) |
| 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. 5, 2013 | VA | SB 1324 | Establishes Education Institution and Board | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 5, 2013 | VA | SB 719 | Amends Voting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 5, 2013 | VA | SB 1256 | Requires Photo Identification for Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Jan. 28, 2013 | VA | SB 690 | Reduces the Number of Signatures Required to Run for President | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| March 8, 2012 | VA | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (66 - 31) |
| March 6, 2012 | VA | HB 1228 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | VA | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | VA | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | VA | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| Jan. 20, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| Jan. 20, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| April 28, 2011 | VA | HB 5005 | Redistricting for State Senate and House | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 7) |
| April 28, 2011 | VA | HB 5005 | Redistricting for State Senate and House | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 7) |
| April 11, 2011 | VA | HB 5001 | Legislative Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 17) |
| April 11, 2011 | VA | HB 5001 | Legislative Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 17) |
| Jan. 24, 2011 | VA | SB 949 | Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| April 21, 2010 | VA | Amdt 91 | Limiting State Funding of Abortion | Amendment Adopted - Senate (20 - 19) |
| April 21, 2010 | VA | Amdt 28 | Reducing Funding for Comprehensive Services for At Risk Youth and Families | Amendment Rejected - House (25 - 69) |
| April 21, 2010 | VA | Amdt 18 | Reducing Funding for Public Media | Amendment Rejected - House (43 - 52) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 2/05 | SB 1324 | Establishes Education Institution and Board | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/05 | SB 719 | Amends Voting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/05 | SB 1256 | Requires Photo Identification for Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 1/28 | SB 690 | Reduces the Number of Signatures Required to Run for President | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 3/08 | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (66 - 31) |
| 3/06 | HB 1228 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31) |
| 2/27 | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/06 | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/01 | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| 1/20 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| 1/20 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| 1/13 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| 1/13 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| 4/28 | HB 5005 | Redistricting for State Senate and House | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 7) |
| 4/28 | HB 5005 | Redistricting for State Senate and House | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 7) |
| 4/11 | HB 5001 | Legislative Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 4/11 | HB 5001 | Legislative Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 1/24 | SB 949 | Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 4/21 | Amdt 91 | Limiting State Funding of Abortion | Amendment Adopted - Senate (20 - 19) |
| 4/21 | Amdt 28 | Reducing Funding for Comprehensive Services for At Risk Youth and Families | Amendment Rejected - House (25 - 69) |
| 4/21 | Amdt 18 | Reducing Funding for Public Media | Amendment Rejected - House (43 - 52) |