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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2012 | MS | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| May 2, 2012 | MS | JR 201 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| May 1, 2012 | MS | HB 211 | Authorizes Certian Officials to Hire Their Own Lawyers | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 56) |
| May 1, 2012 | CT | SB 79 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| April 30, 2012 | CA | AB 1960 | Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| April 30, 2012 | NY | A 5039 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - House (81 - 59) |
| April 27, 2012 | TN | SB 3310 | Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools | Bill Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| April 26, 2012 | TN | SJR 710 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 27) |
| April 26, 2012 | National | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| April 26, 2012 | National | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| April 26, 2012 | MS | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 50) |
| April 26, 2012 | CO | SB 2 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| April 26, 2012 | CO | SB 2 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| April 26, 2012 | National | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| April 25, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 804.1 | Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards | Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33) |
| April 25, 2012 | TN | SB 2580 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| April 23, 2012 | TN | SJR 710 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| April 20, 2012 | CT | HB 5312 | Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions | Bill Passed - House (84 - 57) |
| April 20, 2012 | CT | HB 5312 | Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions | Bill Passed - House (84 - 57) |
| April 19, 2012 | AL | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - House (64 - 34) |
| April 16, 2012 | TN | SB 3345 | Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School | Bill Passed - House (63 - 29) |
| April 12, 2012 | TN | SB 3345 | Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| April 11, 2012 | NH | SB 202 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (239 - 95) |
| April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 599 | Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 599 | Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 599 | Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 10, 2012 | WA | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | (56 - 42) |
| April 10, 2012 | WA | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| April 10, 2012 | AL | SB 388 | Amends State Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| April 10, 2012 | AL | SB 388 | Amends State Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| April 10, 2012 | AL | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (56 - 47) |
| April 9, 2012 | CO | SB 15 | College Tuition Rates for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| April 9, 2012 | AK | SB 203 | Establishes an Energy Assistance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| April 4, 2012 | PA | HB 153 | Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly | Bill Passed - House (140 - 49) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 60) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 56) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 56) |
| March 29, 2012 | IL | HB 5531 | Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees | Bill Failed - House (26 - 75) |
| March 29, 2012 | NH | HB 1607 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds | Bill Passed - House (173 - 127) |
| March 29, 2012 | IL | HB 5531 | Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees | Bill Failed - House (26 - 75) |
| March 29, 2012 | SC | H 4894 | Authorizes Income Tax Credit for Tuition Payments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 38) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112) |
| March 28, 2012 | AZ | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| March 28, 2012 | ID | H 660 | Amends the Judicial Retirement Fund | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| March 28, 2012 | ID | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 1658 | Establishes a Verification System to Detect Welfare Fraud | Bill Passed - House (245 - 84) |
| March 27, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| March 27, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/02 | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| 5/02 | JR 201 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| 5/01 | HB 211 | Authorizes Certian Officials to Hire Their Own Lawyers | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 56) |
| 5/01 | SB 79 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 4/30 | AB 1960 | Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| 4/30 | A 5039 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - House (81 - 59) |
| 4/27 | SB 3310 | Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools | Bill Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| 4/26 | SJR 710 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 27) |
| 4/26 | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 4/26 | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 4/26 | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 50) |
| 4/26 | SB 2 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 4/26 | SB 2 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 4/26 | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 4/25 | H Amdt 804.1 | Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards | Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33) |
| 4/25 | SB 2580 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 4/23 | SJR 710 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 4/20 | HB 5312 | Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions | Bill Passed - House (84 - 57) |
| 4/20 | HB 5312 | Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions | Bill Passed - House (84 - 57) |
| 4/19 | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - House (64 - 34) |
| 4/16 | SB 3345 | Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School | Bill Passed - House (63 - 29) |
| 4/12 | SB 3345 | Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 4/11 | SB 202 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (239 - 95) |
| 4/11 | LB 599 | Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/11 | LB 599 | Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/11 | LB 599 | Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/10 | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | (56 - 42) |
| 4/10 | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 4/10 | SB 388 | Amends State Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 4/10 | SB 388 | Amends State Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 4/10 | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (56 - 47) |
| 4/09 | SB 15 | College Tuition Rates for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 4/09 | SB 203 | Establishes an Energy Assistance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| 4/04 | HB 153 | Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly | Bill Passed - House (140 - 49) |
| 3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 60) |
| 3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
| 3/29 | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 56) |
| 3/29 | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 56) |
| 3/29 | HB 5531 | Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees | Bill Failed - House (26 - 75) |
| 3/29 | HB 1607 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds | Bill Passed - House (173 - 127) |
| 3/29 | HB 5531 | Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees | Bill Failed - House (26 - 75) |
| 3/29 | H 4894 | Authorizes Income Tax Credit for Tuition Payments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 38) |
| 3/28 | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/28 | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112) |
| 3/28 | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 3/28 | H 660 | Amends the Judicial Retirement Fund | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| 3/28 | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/28 | HB 1658 | Establishes a Verification System to Detect Welfare Fraud | Bill Passed - House (245 - 84) |
| 3/27 | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| 3/27 | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |