Key Votes

2013 All Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Key Votes

State
Issue
Year
Keyword Search
About the Selection and Descriptions of Key Votes
Date No. Title Outcome
4/03 CT SB 1160 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - House (105 - 44) 4/03 CT SB 1160 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) 4/01 AR SB 2 Requires Photo ID to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (52 - 45) 3/27 AR SB 2 Requires Photo ID to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12) 3/26 KY HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 6) 3/26 KY HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Veto Override Passed - House (79 - 15) 3/25 IA HF 527 Requires DNA Samples from Misdemeanor Offenders Bill Passed - House (79 - 18) 3/20 OH SB 47 Prohibits Collection of Petition Signatures after Filing Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10) 3/20 OH SB 47 Prohibits Collection of Petition Signatures after Filing Bill Passed - House (57 - 38) 3/19 AR SB 2 Requires Photo ID to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12) 3/13 AR SB 2 Requires Photo ID to Vote Bill Passed - House (51 - 44) 3/13 OR SB 444 Prohibits Smoking in a Car with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) 3/12 CO SB 11 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) 3/11 KY SB 1 Establishes an Electronic Ballot Transmission System for Military and Overseas Voters Bill Passed - House (57 - 42) 3/10 NM HCR 1 Limits the Disclosure of Legislative Information Bill Passed - House (48 - 16) 3/07 KY HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) 3/04 SD HB 1087 Authorizes School Sentinel Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (40 - 19) 3/01 UT HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Car with Minors Present Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) 2/28 AR SB 134 Prohibits Abortion if Fetal Heartbeat Detected Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) 2/28 MD SB 281 Establishes the "Firearm Safety Act of 2013" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) 2/28 MT HB 505 Prohibits Physician-Assisted Suicide Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) 2/27 SD HB 1087 Authorizes School Sentinel Programs Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) 2/25 AR HB 1243 Authorizes University Staff to Carry a Concealed Handgun Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) 2/25 IN HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) 2/25 ND HB 1215 Authorizes Concealed Weapons in Schools Bill Passed - House (60 - 33) 2/23 MT HB 240 Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) 2/22 ND HB 1385 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - House (19 - 72) 2/21 AR SB 134 Prohibits Abortion if Fetal Heartbeat Detected Bill Passed - House (68 - 20) 2/21 ID S 1042 Establishes a State Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) 2/21 KY HB 89 Requires Police to Collect DNA From Individuals Arrested on Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) 2/20 VA SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (65 - 34) 2/20 AR SB 2 Requires Photo ID to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) 2/19 ME LD 576 Prohibits the Public Access of Concealed Handgun Permit Information Bill Passed - House (129 - 11) 2/18 CO HB 1224 Prohibits Large-Capacity Ammunition Magazines Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) 2/18 ND SB 2303 Defines a "Human Being" Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) 2/18 CO HB 1226 Prohibits the Possession of Concealed Handguns on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) 2/18 CO HB 1229 Requires Background Checks For Private Gun Sales and Transfers Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) 2/15 AR HB 1243 Authorizes University Staff to Carry a Concealed Handgun Bill Passed - House (70 - 11) 2/14 MO HB 48 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - House (105 - 48) 2/14 IL SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21) 2/14 ND SB 2252 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 26) 2/13 VT Galbraith and Hartwell Amdt Establishes Immunity for Doctors Prescribing or People Present to Lethal Dosage Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 15) 2/11 VA HB 1617 Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) 2/11 UT HB 13 Prohibits Smoking in a Car with Minors Present Bill Passed - House (41 - 30) 2/11 IN SJR 7 Guarantees Right to Hunt and Fish Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10) 2/07 ND SCR 4009 Expands "Right to Life" to Human Beings at Any Stage of Development Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 21) 2/05 VA SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) 2/05 VA SB 719 Amends Voting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) 2/01 WY HB 105 Authorizes the Carrying of Firearms on School Property Bill Passed - House (46 - 13) 1/31 VA HB 1617 Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership Bill Passed - House (80 - 19) 1/31 WY HB 130 Authorizes Public Schools to Offer Elective Bible Study Classes Bill Passed - House (44 - 15) 1/31 VA SB 975 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Minors Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10) 1/31 WY SF 131 Prohibits Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) 1/31 AR SB 134 Prohibits Abortion if Fetal Heartbeat Detected Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) 1/30 WY HB 168 Authorizes Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Failed - House (25 - 34) 1/29 SD HB 1087 Authorizes School Sentinel Programs Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) 1/24 RI H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (51 - 19) 1/15 NY S 2230 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - House (104 - 43) 1/14 NY S 2230 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18)

About the Selection and Descriptions of Key Votes

Project Vote Smart provides easy access to Congressional and State voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Key votes typically include the initial passage of legislation and final conference report vote versions (the compromised versions of bills passed in separate House and Senate versions). 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

Descriptions of the votes are written by Vote Smart staff and based on information included in the Congressional Record, State House Journals, or Senate Journals, with additional background information from newspapers, magazines, etc. Vote Smart provides summaries for each selected key vote. The summary does not necessarily reflect the final version of the bill.

The Key Votes Program follows Project Vote Smart's strict policies, procedures and structure that guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. In order to ensure that all Key Votes are non-partisan in their selection and language, each is approved by a group of over 160 political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.