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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 25, 2016 | VA | SB 335 | Prohibits State Employers From Inquiring about an Applicant's Criminal History | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 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 | SB 438 | Amends Teacher Contracts | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | VA | SB 747 | Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 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. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| June 25, 2008 | VA | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| March 6, 2008 | VA | HB 12 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 298 | Banning Smoking Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 501 | Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | VA | SB 1161 | Virginia Smoke-Free Air Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | VA | Sub SB 1327 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Jan. 26, 2007 | VA | SB 1014 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/25 | SB 335 | Prohibits State Employers From Inquiring about an Applicant's Criminal History | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 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 | SB 438 | Amends Teacher Contracts | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| 2/02 | SB 747 | Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 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) |
| 2/25 | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 2/19 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 2/03 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 6/25 | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 3/06 | HB 12 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
| 2/05 | SB 298 | Banning Smoking Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 2/05 | SB 501 | Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 2/05 | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| 2/05 | SB 1161 | Virginia Smoke-Free Air Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 2/05 | Sub SB 1327 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 1/26 | SB 1014 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| 2/13 | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 2/08 | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |