Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
May 10, 2012 IL SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20)
May 3, 2012 KS HB 2333 Amends State Pension System Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
May 3, 2012 CT HB 5312 Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
May 3, 2012 CT HB 5312 Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
May 3, 2012 KS King Amendment Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20)
May 2, 2012 MS HB 211 Authorizes Certian Officials to Hire Their Own Lawyers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 18)
May 2, 2012 NH HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
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 CT SB 79 Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
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 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 CO SB 2 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
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 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 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 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 9, 2012 CO SB 15 College Tuition Rates for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/10 SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20)
5/03 HB 2333 Amends State Pension System Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
5/03 HB 5312 Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
5/03 HB 5312 Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
5/03 King Amendment Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20)
5/02 HB 211 Authorizes Certian Officials to Hire Their Own Lawyers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 18)
5/02 HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
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 SB 79 Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
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)
4/26 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 SB 2 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
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)
4/12 SB 3345 Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
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 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)
4/09 SB 15 College Tuition Rates for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)

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