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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 9, 2012 | CO | SB 15 | College Tuition Rates for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 28, 2012 | AZ | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| March 28, 2012 | ID | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 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) |
| March 22, 2012 | FL | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| March 15, 2012 | ID | S 1358 | Amends Bullying Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| March 15, 2012 | KY | SB 18 | Amends Redistricting Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| March 15, 2012 | KY | SB 18 | Amends Redistricting Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| March 14, 2012 | NY | A 9525 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| March 14, 2012 | NY | S 6735 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| March 12, 2012 | AZ | SB 1388 | Job Training for Unemployed Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| March 9, 2012 | FL | SB 1718 | Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| March 8, 2012 | AZ | SB 1462 | Expands Penalties for Bullying | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| March 7, 2012 | MI | HB 4929 | Prohibits Union Dues Deductions from School Employee Paychecks | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| March 7, 2012 | FL | HB 971 | Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| March 7, 2012 | FL | HB 971 | Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| March 7, 2012 | GA | SB 292 | Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| March 7, 2012 | GA | SB 292 | Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| March 7, 2012 | GA | SB 469 | Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| March 7, 2012 | GA | SB 312 | Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
| March 6, 2012 | VA | HB 1228 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31) |
| March 5, 2012 | WY | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/09 | SB 15 | College Tuition Rates for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
| 3/28 | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/28 | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 3/28 | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 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) |
| 3/22 | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 3/15 | S 1358 | Amends Bullying Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 3/15 | SB 18 | Amends Redistricting Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 3/15 | SB 18 | Amends Redistricting Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 3/14 | A 9525 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| 3/14 | S 6735 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 3/12 | SB 1388 | Job Training for Unemployed Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| 3/09 | SB 1718 | Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 3/08 | SB 1462 | Expands Penalties for Bullying | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 3/07 | HB 4929 | Prohibits Union Dues Deductions from School Employee Paychecks | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 3/07 | HB 971 | Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 3/07 | HB 971 | Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 3/07 | SB 292 | Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| 3/07 | SB 292 | Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| 3/07 | SB 469 | Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| 3/07 | SB 312 | Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
| 3/06 | HB 1228 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31) |
| 3/05 | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |