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
Feb. 22, 2013 ND HB 1373 Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircrafts Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
Feb. 19, 2013 VA HB 1907 Increases Fines for Texting While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Feb. 19, 2013 SD SB 142 Prohibits Texting While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Feb. 14, 2013 KY SB 88 Repeals Regulations on Telephone Utility Companies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
Feb. 13, 2013 ID HB 55 Authorizes Telecommunications Businesses to Solicit Existing Customers Bill Passed - House (65 - 5)
Feb. 6, 2013 SD SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
Jan. 30, 2013 SD HB 1113 Requires Certain State Electronic Exchanges to Be Made Public Bill Failed - House (34 - 35)
Jan. 28, 2013 SD HB 1108 Exempts Certain Advisory Bodies From Providing Telephone or Internet Access Bill Passed - House (63 - 5)
Dec. 28, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
Dec. 17, 2012 NJ S 581 Establishes Tax Credits for Investors in Small Business Technology Bill Passed - House (47 - 30)
Dec. 17, 2012 NJ A 2578 Authorizes Internet Gaming at Atlantic City Casinos Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
Dec. 14, 2012 MI SB 756 Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (74 - 33)
Dec. 5, 2012 OH HB 605 Prohibits Gambling In Internet Cafes Bill Passed - House (63 - 30)
Nov. 30, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
Nov. 30, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
Nov. 14, 2012 National S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
Oct. 18, 2012 NJ A 2870 Establishes Online Vote Registration Bill Passed - House (46 - 30)
Oct. 17, 2012 PA HB 815 Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Sept. 20, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
Sept. 20, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
Sept. 12, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (301 - 118)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Aug. 22, 2012 CA SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - House (46 - 30)
Aug. 2, 2012 National S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
June 30, 2012 PA HB 254 Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 72)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/22 HB 1373 Limits the Use of Unmanned Aircrafts Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
2/19 HB 1907 Increases Fines for Texting While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
2/19 SB 142 Prohibits Texting While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
2/14 SB 88 Repeals Regulations on Telephone Utility Companies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
2/13 HB 55 Authorizes Telecommunications Businesses to Solicit Existing Customers Bill Passed - House (65 - 5)
2/06 SB 106 Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
1/30 HB 1113 Requires Certain State Electronic Exchanges to Be Made Public Bill Failed - House (34 - 35)
1/28 HB 1108 Exempts Certain Advisory Bodies From Providing Telephone or Internet Access Bill Passed - House (63 - 5)
12/28 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
12/17 S 581 Establishes Tax Credits for Investors in Small Business Technology Bill Passed - House (47 - 30)
12/17 A 2578 Authorizes Internet Gaming at Atlantic City Casinos Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
12/14 SB 756 Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (74 - 33)
12/05 HB 605 Prohibits Gambling In Internet Cafes Bill Passed - House (63 - 30)
11/30 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
11/30 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
11/14 S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
10/18 A 2870 Establishes Online Vote Registration Bill Passed - House (46 - 30)
10/17 HB 815 Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
9/20 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
9/20 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
9/12 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (301 - 118)
8/27 SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
8/22 SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - House (46 - 30)
8/02 S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
6/30 HB 254 Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 72)

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