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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 24, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (32 - 27) |
| Jan. 20, 2011 | WI | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| Jan. 20, 2011 | AZ | SB 1001 | Request for Medicaid Waiver | Bill Passed - House (40 - 20) |
| Jan. 18, 2011 | MT | HB 71 | Excludes Undocumented Immigrants from Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| Jan. 13, 2011 | MT | HB 1 | Funding for Legislative Session | Bill Passed - House (67 - 32) |
| Jan. 10, 2011 | IL | SB 3644 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 49) |
| Jan. 4, 2011 | IL | SB 3976 | Rules to Govern the Redistricting Process | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
| Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
| Dec. 15, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
| Dec. 15, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
| Dec. 13, 2010 | NJ | S 1 | Low-Income Housing Amendments and Abolishing the Council on Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| Dec. 8, 2010 | National | HR 5281 | DREAM Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198) |
| Dec. 8, 2010 | National | HR 5987 | Seniors Protection Act | Bill Failed - House (254 - 153) |
| Dec. 8, 2010 | National | HR 5987 | Seniors Protection Act | Bill Failed - House (254 - 153) |
| Dec. 2, 2010 | National | H Res 1737 | Censure for Representative Charles Rangel | Resolution Passed - House (333 - 79) |
| Nov. 30, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
| Nov. 18, 2010 | National | HR 6419 | Extension of Certain Unemployment Benefits | Bill Failed - House (258 - 154) |
| Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (165 - 31) |
| Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (165 - 31) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | MI | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 45) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | MI | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 45) |
| Sept. 22, 2010 | National | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
| Aug. 30, 2010 | CA | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| Aug. 26, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/24 | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (32 - 27) |
| 1/20 | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| 1/20 | SB 1001 | Request for Medicaid Waiver | Bill Passed - House (40 - 20) |
| 1/18 | HB 71 | Excludes Undocumented Immigrants from Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| 1/13 | HB 1 | Funding for Legislative Session | Bill Passed - House (67 - 32) |
| 1/10 | SB 3644 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 49) |
| 1/04 | SB 3976 | Rules to Govern the Redistricting Process | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| 12/21 | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
| 12/21 | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
| 12/15 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
| 12/15 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
| 12/13 | S 1 | Low-Income Housing Amendments and Abolishing the Council on Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| 12/08 | HR 5281 | DREAM Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198) |
| 12/08 | HR 5987 | Seniors Protection Act | Bill Failed - House (254 - 153) |
| 12/08 | HR 5987 | Seniors Protection Act | Bill Failed - House (254 - 153) |
| 12/02 | H Res 1737 | Censure for Representative Charles Rangel | Resolution Passed - House (333 - 79) |
| 11/30 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
| 11/18 | HR 6419 | Extension of Certain Unemployment Benefits | Bill Failed - House (258 - 154) |
| 11/15 | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (165 - 31) |
| 11/15 | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (165 - 31) |
| 9/23 | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 45) |
| 9/23 | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 45) |
| 9/22 | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
| 8/30 | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| 8/26 | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |