Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 4, 2014 OH HB 661 Increases Salaries of Elected Officials Bill Passed - House (56 - 26)
Oct. 23, 2014 NJ SCR 125 Specifies that Proposed Regulations Concerning Greenhouse Gas Cap and Trade Programs are Inconsistent with Legislative Intent Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
Sept. 9, 2014 National H Res 644 Condemning and Disapproving of the Failure of the Obama Administration to Comply with the Lawful Statutory Requirement to Notify Congress before Transferring Individuals Detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Expressing Concern About the National Security Risks Over the Transfer of Five Taliban Leaders and the Repercussions of Negotiating with Terrorists Resolution Passed - House (249 - 163)
Aug. 11, 2014 FL SB 2-A Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (71 - 38)
Aug. 11, 2014 FL SB 2-A Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
June 26, 2014 DE HB 13 Prohibits Lawmakers from Becoming Lobbyists for 1 Year After Leaving Office Concurrence Vote Passed - House (33 - 7)
May 30, 2014 IL SB 274 Requires Salary Payments to State Legislators Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 18)
May 30, 2014 IL SB 274 Requires Salary Payments to State Legislators Bill Passed - House (65 - 48)
May 29, 2014 CA SB 1253 Amends Legislative Initiative Measure Laws Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
May 16, 2014 MO HJR 72 Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 4)
May 15, 2014 MN HF 3169 Establishes a Legislative Salary Council Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 62)
May 13, 2014 MN HF 3169 Establishes a Legislative Salary Council Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 25)
May 7, 2014 National H Res 574 Recommends that the House of Representatives Find Lois G. Lerner in Contempt of Congress Resolution Passed - House (231 - 187)
April 24, 2014 OK SJR 21 Amends Selection Process for Judicial Nominating Commission Bill Failed - House (31 - 65)
April 8, 2014 National HR 1871 Baseline Reform Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (230 - 185)
April 4, 2014 National HR 1874 Pro-Growth Budgeting Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (224 - 182)
March 27, 2014 TN HB 937 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
March 17, 2014 KY SB 221 Authorizes Legislative Leaders to Intervene in Certain Court Cases Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
March 13, 2014 NY S 2031A Amends the Board of Regents Appointment Process Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 19)
March 12, 2014 National HR 4138 Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of (ENFORCE) the Law Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (233 - 181)
March 5, 2014 SD HJR 1002 Increases Legislative Term Limit Length Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (12 - 23)
March 3, 2014 GA HB 990 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion without Legislative Approval Bill Passed - House (118 - 57)
Feb. 25, 2014 KY SB 82 Establishes Procedures for an Executive Cabinet Position Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Feb. 24, 2014 TN HB 937 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
Feb. 20, 2014 MO HJR 72 Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions Amendment Adopted - House (109 - 42)
Feb. 18, 2014 WI AB 161 Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 36)
Feb. 13, 2014 NM HB 11 Increases Compensation for Elected State Officers Bill Failed - House (29 - 32)
Feb. 13, 2014 NM HB 82 Prohibits a State Official from Working as a Lobbyist for 2 Years After Leaving Office Bill Passed - House (43 - 23)
Feb. 12, 2014 SD SB 142 Increases Salary for State Legislators Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 15)
Feb. 11, 2014 WI AB 161 Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
Feb. 6, 2014 KY SB 1 Authorizes Legislature to Review Administrative Regulations Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 14)
Feb. 5, 2014 SD HJR 1002 Increases Legislative Term Limit Length Joint Resolution Passed - House (54 - 16)
Feb. 3, 2014 VA HB 706 Authorizes Legislators to Hire Counsel to Represent Virginia in Court Bill Passed - House (65 - 32)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/04 HB 661 Increases Salaries of Elected Officials Bill Passed - House (56 - 26)
10/23 SCR 125 Specifies that Proposed Regulations Concerning Greenhouse Gas Cap and Trade Programs are Inconsistent with Legislative Intent Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
9/09 H Res 644 Condemning and Disapproving of the Failure of the Obama Administration to Comply with the Lawful Statutory Requirement to Notify Congress before Transferring Individuals Detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Expressing Concern About the National Security Risks Over the Transfer of Five Taliban Leaders and the Repercussions of Negotiating with Terrorists Resolution Passed - House (249 - 163)
8/11 SB 2-A Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (71 - 38)
8/11 SB 2-A Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
6/26 HB 13 Prohibits Lawmakers from Becoming Lobbyists for 1 Year After Leaving Office Concurrence Vote Passed - House (33 - 7)
5/30 SB 274 Requires Salary Payments to State Legislators Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 18)
5/30 SB 274 Requires Salary Payments to State Legislators Bill Passed - House (65 - 48)
5/29 SB 1253 Amends Legislative Initiative Measure Laws Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
5/16 HJR 72 Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 4)
5/15 HF 3169 Establishes a Legislative Salary Council Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 62)
5/13 HF 3169 Establishes a Legislative Salary Council Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 25)
5/07 H Res 574 Recommends that the House of Representatives Find Lois G. Lerner in Contempt of Congress Resolution Passed - House (231 - 187)
4/24 SJR 21 Amends Selection Process for Judicial Nominating Commission Bill Failed - House (31 - 65)
4/08 HR 1871 Baseline Reform Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (230 - 185)
4/04 HR 1874 Pro-Growth Budgeting Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (224 - 182)
3/27 HB 937 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
3/17 SB 221 Authorizes Legislative Leaders to Intervene in Certain Court Cases Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
3/13 S 2031A Amends the Board of Regents Appointment Process Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 19)
3/12 HR 4138 Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of (ENFORCE) the Law Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (233 - 181)
3/05 HJR 1002 Increases Legislative Term Limit Length Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (12 - 23)
3/03 HB 990 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion without Legislative Approval Bill Passed - House (118 - 57)
2/25 SB 82 Establishes Procedures for an Executive Cabinet Position Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
2/24 HB 937 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
2/20 HJR 72 Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions Amendment Adopted - House (109 - 42)
2/18 AB 161 Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 36)
2/13 HB 11 Increases Compensation for Elected State Officers Bill Failed - House (29 - 32)
2/13 HB 82 Prohibits a State Official from Working as a Lobbyist for 2 Years After Leaving Office Bill Passed - House (43 - 23)
2/12 SB 142 Increases Salary for State Legislators Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 15)
2/11 AB 161 Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
2/06 SB 1 Authorizes Legislature to Review Administrative Regulations Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 14)
2/05 HJR 1002 Increases Legislative Term Limit Length Joint Resolution Passed - House (54 - 16)
2/03 HB 706 Authorizes Legislators to Hire Counsel to Represent Virginia in Court Bill Passed - House (65 - 32)

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