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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 7, 2011 | LA | HB 138 | Parole Eligibility for Elderly Inmates | Bill Passed - House (65 - 25) |
| June 3, 2011 | National | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
| June 3, 2011 | National | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
| June 3, 2011 | National | H Res 292 | Ground Forces in Libya | Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145) |
| June 2, 2011 | AL | SB 484 | 2011 Congressional Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 45) |
| June 2, 2011 | AL | HB 56 | Immigration Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 29) |
| June 2, 2011 | AL | HB 414 | Increasing Retirement Contributions for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 48) |
| June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 398 | Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205) |
| June 1, 2011 | CA | AB 131 | In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | HB 1698 | Amends Workers' Compensation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 43) |
| May 31, 2011 | ME | LD 804 | Proposal to Create a Unicameral State Legislature | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (78 - 66) |
| May 30, 2011 | IL | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Bill Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| May 30, 2011 | IL | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
| May 25, 2011 | SC | S 20 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| May 23, 2011 | NV | SB 368 | Prohibits Discrimination in Housing | Bill Passed - House (29 - 13) |
| May 21, 2011 | MN | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 62) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - House (55 - 40) |
| May 19, 2011 | RI | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (62 - 11) |
| May 19, 2011 | CT | HB 6599 | Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - House (77 - 62) |
| May 19, 2011 | CA | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - House (55 - 22) |
| May 19, 2011 | RI | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (62 - 11) |
| May 18, 2011 | NV | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| May 17, 2011 | TX | SB 420 | Eligibility for Indigent Health Care | Bill Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| May 17, 2011 | TX | SB 420 | Eligibility for Indigent Health Care | Bill Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| May 17, 2011 | LA | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (67 - 26) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/07 | HB 138 | Parole Eligibility for Elderly Inmates | Bill Passed - House (65 - 25) |
| 6/03 | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
| 6/03 | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
| 6/03 | H Res 292 | Ground Forces in Libya | Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145) |
| 6/02 | SB 484 | 2011 Congressional Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 45) |
| 6/02 | HB 56 | Immigration Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 29) |
| 6/02 | HB 414 | Increasing Retirement Contributions for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 48) |
| 6/02 | H Amdt 398 | Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205) |
| 6/01 | AB 131 | In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| 5/31 | HB 1698 | Amends Workers' Compensation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 43) |
| 5/31 | LD 804 | Proposal to Create a Unicameral State Legislature | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (78 - 66) |
| 5/30 | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Bill Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| 5/30 | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
| 5/25 | S 20 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| 5/23 | SB 368 | Prohibits Discrimination in Housing | Bill Passed - House (29 - 13) |
| 5/21 | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 62) |
| 5/20 | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - House (55 - 40) |
| 5/19 | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (62 - 11) |
| 5/19 | HB 6599 | Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - House (77 - 62) |
| 5/19 | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - House (55 - 22) |
| 5/19 | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (62 - 11) |
| 5/18 | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| 5/17 | SB 420 | Eligibility for Indigent Health Care | Bill Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| 5/17 | SB 420 | Eligibility for Indigent Health Care | Bill Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| 5/17 | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (67 - 26) |