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. 10, 2016 | VA | HB 1371 | Prohibits Cities from Increasing Minimum Wage or Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 34) |
| Jan. 29, 2016 | VA | SB 12 | Prohibits Discrimination in Public Employment Based on Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Jan. 25, 2016 | VA | SB 335 | Prohibits State Employers From Inquiring about an Applicant's Criminal History | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 27, 2015 | VA | HB 1570 | Increases Regulations on Day Care Providers | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 26) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | VA | SB 590 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | VA | SB 590 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | VA | HB 1129 | Reduces State Employee Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | VA | SB 438 | Amends Teacher Contracts | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | VA | HB 576 | Amends Teacher Contract and Evaluation Policies | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | VA | HB 2314 | Education Improvement Scholarships | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | VA | SB 747 | Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| March 2, 2010 | VA | SB 334 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (72 - 27) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | VA | SB 464 | Requiring Insurance Coverage of Autism Disorder | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | VA | SB 660 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | VA | SB 334 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | VA | HB 629 | Asbestos Lawsuit Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (49 - 48) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | VA | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 39) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| July 9, 2008 | VA | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Failed - House (39 - 59) |
| June 25, 2008 | VA | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| March 6, 2008 | VA | SB 588 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (91 - 9) |
| March 6, 2008 | VA | HB 12 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | VA | HB 12 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (91 - 7) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 501 | Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 298 | Banning Smoking Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | Governor's Recommendation: Restaurant Smoking Ban | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 59) | |
| Feb. 21, 2007 | VA | H Sub to Sub SB 1416 | Regulation of Electric Utilities | Bill Passed - House (82 - 16) |
| Feb. 16, 2007 | VA | Sub SB 1014 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (72 - 27) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | VA | Sub SB 1327 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | VA | SB 1161 | Virginia Smoke-Free Air Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Jan. 26, 2007 | VA | SB 1014 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | VA | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | VA | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/10 | HB 1371 | Prohibits Cities from Increasing Minimum Wage or Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 34) |
| 1/29 | SB 12 | Prohibits Discrimination in Public Employment Based on Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 1/25 | SB 335 | Prohibits State Employers From Inquiring about an Applicant's Criminal History | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 2/27 | HB 1570 | Increases Regulations on Day Care Providers | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 26) |
| 2/11 | SB 590 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/11 | SB 590 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/14 | HB 1129 | Reduces State Employee Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 2/14 | SB 438 | Amends Teacher Contracts | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| 2/13 | HB 576 | Amends Teacher Contract and Evaluation Policies | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 2/08 | HB 2314 | Education Improvement Scholarships | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| 2/02 | SB 747 | Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 3/02 | SB 334 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (72 - 27) |
| 2/16 | SB 464 | Requiring Insurance Coverage of Autism Disorder | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 2/16 | SB 660 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| 2/16 | SB 334 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/09 | HB 629 | Asbestos Lawsuit Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (49 - 48) |
| 2/25 | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 2/24 | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| 2/19 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 2/19 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 39) |
| 2/09 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 2/03 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 7/09 | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Failed - House (39 - 59) |
| 6/25 | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 3/06 | SB 588 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (91 - 9) |
| 3/06 | HB 12 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
| 2/11 | HB 12 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (91 - 7) |
| 2/05 | SB 501 | Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 2/05 | SB 298 | Banning Smoking Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 2/05 | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| 4/04 | Governor's Recommendation: Restaurant Smoking Ban | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 59) | |
| 2/21 | H Sub to Sub SB 1416 | Regulation of Electric Utilities | Bill Passed - House (82 - 16) |
| 2/16 | Sub SB 1014 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (72 - 27) |
| 2/05 | Sub SB 1327 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 2/05 | SB 1161 | Virginia Smoke-Free Air Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 1/26 | SB 1014 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| 2/14 | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| 2/13 | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 2/08 | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |