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. 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) |
| 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) |
| March 8, 2012 | VA | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (66 - 31) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | VA | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| 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 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 91 | Limiting State Funding of Abortion | Amendment Adopted - House (64 - 30) |
| April 21, 2010 | VA | Amdt 18 | Reducing Funding for Public Media | Amendment Rejected - House (43 - 52) |
| March 14, 2010 | VA | HB 30 | 2010-2012 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 23) |
| Feb. 12, 2010 | VA | SB 283 | Prohibiting Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | VA | HB 629 | Asbestos Lawsuit Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (49 - 48) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | VA | HB 756 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| Feb. 3, 2010 | VA | HB 502 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 24) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 1167 | Increasing the Fees for Personalized License Plates | Bill Failed - House (41 - 57) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | HB 1671 | "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements | Bill Passed - House (80 - 17) |
| July 9, 2008 | VA | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Failed - House (39 - 59) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | VA | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (93 - 5) |
| Feb. 8, 2008 | VA | HB 933 | "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - House (82 - 18) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2348 | Extension of "Triggerman Rule" | Veto Override Passed - House (79 - 21) |
| Feb. 6, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 3202 | Funding for Statewide Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| Jan. 17, 2007 | VA | HB 1977 | Inaugural Committee Finance Reform | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| April 19, 2006 | VA | Governor's Recommendation: Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements | Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 52) | |
| April 12, 2006 | VA | HB 5002 | 2006-2008 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (64 - 29) |
| April 11, 2006 | VA | Amdt Item 462-4h | Central Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 35) |
| April 11, 2006 | VA | Amdt Item 391-4h | New Anti-Gang Initiatives Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (59 - 36) |
| April 11, 2006 | VA | Amdt Item 4-5.04-2h | Abortion Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (59 - 34) |
| April 11, 2006 | VA | Amdt Item 4-0.01 | Stem Cell Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (64 - 30) |
| April 11, 2006 | VA | Amdt Item 135-4h | Direct Aid To Public Education | Amendment Adopted - House (59 - 34) |
| March 7, 2006 | VA | Amendment | LeBlanc Nomination | Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 42) |
| March 7, 2006 | VA | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - House (85 - 12) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | VA | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 3/08 | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (66 - 31) |
| 2/01 | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| 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) |
| 4/21 | Amdt 28 | Reducing Funding for Comprehensive Services for At Risk Youth and Families | Amendment Rejected - House (25 - 69) |
| 4/21 | Amdt 91 | Limiting State Funding of Abortion | Amendment Adopted - House (64 - 30) |
| 4/21 | Amdt 18 | Reducing Funding for Public Media | Amendment Rejected - House (43 - 52) |
| 3/14 | HB 30 | 2010-2012 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 23) |
| 2/12 | SB 283 | Prohibiting Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| 2/09 | HB 629 | Asbestos Lawsuit Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (49 - 48) |
| 2/08 | HB 756 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| 2/03 | HB 502 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 24) |
| 2/25 | SB 1167 | Increasing the Fees for Personalized License Plates | Bill Failed - House (41 - 57) |
| 2/25 | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 2/04 | HB 1671 | "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements | Bill Passed - House (80 - 17) |
| 7/09 | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Failed - House (39 - 59) |
| 2/21 | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (93 - 5) |
| 2/08 | HB 933 | "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| 4/04 | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| 4/04 | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - House (82 - 18) |
| 4/04 | Sub HB 2348 | Extension of "Triggerman Rule" | Veto Override Passed - House (79 - 21) |
| 2/06 | Sub HB 3202 | Funding for Statewide Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| 1/17 | HB 1977 | Inaugural Committee Finance Reform | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| 4/19 | Governor's Recommendation: Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements | Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 52) | |
| 4/12 | HB 5002 | 2006-2008 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (64 - 29) |
| 4/11 | Amdt Item 462-4h | Central Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 35) |
| 4/11 | Amdt Item 391-4h | New Anti-Gang Initiatives Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (59 - 36) |
| 4/11 | Amdt Item 4-5.04-2h | Abortion Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (59 - 34) |
| 4/11 | Amdt Item 4-0.01 | Stem Cell Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (64 - 30) |
| 4/11 | Amdt Item 135-4h | Direct Aid To Public Education | Amendment Adopted - House (59 - 34) |
| 3/07 | Amendment | LeBlanc Nomination | Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 42) |
| 3/07 | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - House (85 - 12) |
| 1/26 | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |