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. 5, 2013 | VA | SB 719 | Amends Voting Requirements | 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 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) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| March 14, 2010 | VA | HB 30 | 2010-2012 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 6) |
| Feb. 22, 2010 | VA | HB 756 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | VA | SB 660 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | VA | SB 601 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | VA | SB 102 | Starting Biennial Budgets in Odd-Numbered Years | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | VA | SB 239 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | VA | SB 239 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 1, 2010 | VA | SB 283 | Prohibiting Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Jan. 25, 2010 | VA | SB 83 | Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | VA | HB 1671 | "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | VA | SJ 273 | Legislative Restoration of Voting Rights for Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | VA | SJ 354 | Civil Rights for Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (19 - 19) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | SB 1473 | Department of Forestry Land Use Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | SB 1473 | Department of Forestry Land Use Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | VA | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | VA | SB 810 | Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| June 25, 2008 | VA | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| March 13, 2008 | VA | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | VA | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | VA | HB 11 | Property Tax Exemptions | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | VA | HB 933 | "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2348 | Extension of "Triggerman Rule" | Veto Override Failed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 14, 2007 | VA | S Sub | Funding for Statewide Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Jan. 29, 2007 | VA | SB 920 | Requirements For Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Jan. 25, 2007 | VA | SJ 307 | Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| Jan. 23, 2007 | VA | SJ 352 | Creation of a Bipartisan Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| May 23, 2006 | VA | HB 5002 | 2006-2008 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| March 1, 2006 | VA | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Jan. 25, 2006 | VA | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/05 | SB 719 | Amends Voting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 1/28 | SB 690 | Reduces the Number of Signatures Required to Run for President | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 3/06 | 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) |
| 1/20 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| 1/20 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| 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) |
| 3/14 | HB 30 | 2010-2012 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 6) |
| 2/22 | HB 756 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 2/16 | SB 660 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| 2/10 | SB 601 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/10 | SB 102 | Starting Biennial Budgets in Odd-Numbered Years | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 2/08 | SB 239 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/08 | SB 239 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/01 | SB 283 | Prohibiting Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 1/25 | SB 83 | Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 2/24 | HB 1671 | "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/09 | SJ 273 | Legislative Restoration of Voting Rights for Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 2/09 | SJ 354 | Civil Rights for Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (19 - 19) |
| 2/04 | SB 1473 | Department of Forestry Land Use Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/04 | SB 1473 | Department of Forestry Land Use Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 1/27 | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 1/26 | SB 810 | Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 6/25 | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 3/13 | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 2/27 | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/25 | HB 11 | Property Tax Exemptions | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 2/25 | HB 933 | "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 2/05 | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| 4/04 | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 4/04 | Sub HB 2348 | Extension of "Triggerman Rule" | Veto Override Failed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 4/04 | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 2/14 | S Sub | Funding for Statewide Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 1/29 | SB 920 | Requirements For Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 1/25 | SJ 307 | Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 1/23 | SJ 352 | Creation of a Bipartisan Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 5/23 | HB 5002 | 2006-2008 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| 3/01 | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 2/06 | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 1/25 | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |