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. 24, 2012 | GA | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | VA | SB 30 | 2012-2014 Biennium Budget | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | VA | SB 131 | Establishes Tax Deductions for Corporations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | MS | HCR 33 | Amends the State Budget Process | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | UT | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | FL | HB 7087 | Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 22) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | CO | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (34 - 28) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | FL | SB 2038 | Private Correctional Facilities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | IA | HF 2274 | Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | AL | HB 160 | Authorizes Companies to Retain Employee Income Tax Deductions | Bill Passed - House (69 - 19) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | NM | SB 9 | Changes Corporate Income Tax Rates and Filing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | MS | HCR 33 | Amends the State Budget Process | Bill Passed - House (72 - 48) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | GA | HR 1162 | Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | National | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
| Feb. 7, 2012 | UT | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 16) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | UT | HB 210 | Restricts the Use of Severance Tax Revenue | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| Feb. 3, 2012 | National | HR 3578 | Amends Budget Baseline | Bill Passed - House (235 - 177) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | CA | SB 81 | Funding For School Transportation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | CA | SB 95 | Increase State's Ability to Borrow | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/24 | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 2/23 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| 2/23 | SB 30 | 2012-2014 Biennium Budget | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| 2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| 2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| 2/17 | SB 131 | Establishes Tax Deductions for Corporations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/15 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/15 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/15 | HCR 33 | Amends the State Budget Process | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 2/15 | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 2/15 | HB 7087 | Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 22) |
| 2/15 | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (34 - 28) |
| 2/14 | SB 2038 | Private Correctional Facilities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| 2/14 | HF 2274 | Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| 2/14 | HB 160 | Authorizes Companies to Retain Employee Income Tax Deductions | Bill Passed - House (69 - 19) |
| 2/13 | SB 9 | Changes Corporate Income Tax Rates and Filing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13) |
| 2/13 | HCR 33 | Amends the State Budget Process | Bill Passed - House (72 - 48) |
| 2/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| 2/08 | HR 1162 | Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62) |
| 2/08 | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
| 2/07 | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 16) |
| 2/06 | HB 210 | Restricts the Use of Severance Tax Revenue | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| 2/03 | HR 3578 | Amends Budget Baseline | Bill Passed - House (235 - 177) |
| 2/02 | SB 81 | Funding For School Transportation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/02 | SB 95 | Increase State's Ability to Borrow | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |