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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 13, 2012 | KS | Goodman Amdt | Eliminates Sales Tax on Food | Amendment Adopted - House (76 - 44) |
| March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
| March 7, 2012 | FL | HB 859 | School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
| March 5, 2012 | ID | HCR 40 | 2 Percent Pay Raise for State Employees | Resolution Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| March 5, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2043 | Amends Requirements for Ballot Measures for Future Tax Increases | Resolution Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| March 5, 2012 | AZ | HB 2800 | Prohibits State Funding for Abortion Providers | Bill Passed - House (41 - 17) |
| March 1, 2012 | SD | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| March 1, 2012 | ID | H 563 | Reduces Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Bill Passed - House (39 - 18) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | AK | HB 118 | Research and Development Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| 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 | 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 | 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 | National | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | GA | HR 1162 | Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62) |
| 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 95 | Increase State's Ability to Borrow | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
| Jan. 19, 2012 | MO | HJR 43 | Limits State Spending | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 54) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | KY | HB 30 | Authorizes Advertising on School Buses | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/13 | Goodman Amdt | Eliminates Sales Tax on Food | Amendment Adopted - House (76 - 44) |
| 3/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
| 3/07 | HB 859 | School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
| 3/05 | HCR 40 | 2 Percent Pay Raise for State Employees | Resolution Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| 3/05 | HCR 2043 | Amends Requirements for Ballot Measures for Future Tax Increases | Resolution Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| 3/05 | HB 2800 | Prohibits State Funding for Abortion Providers | Bill Passed - House (41 - 17) |
| 3/01 | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| 3/01 | H 563 | Reduces Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 3/01 | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Bill Passed - House (39 - 18) |
| 2/29 | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| 2/29 | HB 118 | Research and Development Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (23 - 12) |
| 2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| 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 | 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 | 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 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
| 2/08 | HR 1162 | Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62) |
| 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 95 | Increase State's Ability to Borrow | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
| 1/19 | HJR 43 | Limits State Spending | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 54) |
| 1/18 | HB 30 | Authorizes Advertising on School Buses | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |