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
March 7, 2012 GA SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
Feb. 29, 2012 IN HB 1149 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Feb. 28, 2012 AZ SB 1365 Authorizes religious objections by professionals Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Feb. 28, 2012 AZ SB 1336 Limiting Manufacturer Eligibility for Punitive Damages Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
Feb. 23, 2012 KS HCR 5007 Authorizes Kansas to Determine Its Health Care Policies Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14)
Feb. 23, 2012 KY SB 151 Authorizes Casinos Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 21)
Feb. 17, 2012 GA SB 362 Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Feb. 13, 2012 NM SB 9 Changes Corporate Income Tax Rates and Filing Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Jan. 23, 2012 IN SB 269 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
Jan. 23, 2012 IN SB 170 Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest in Local Government Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ S 3172 Authorizes Direct Shipping By Local and Out-of-State Wineries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ S 3172 Authorizes Direct Shipping By Local and Out-of-State Wineries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Nov. 29, 2011 IL HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18)
Nov. 10, 2011 National S J Res 6 Disapproval of FCC Regulation of Internet and Broadband Industry Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
Nov. 10, 2011 National S Amdt 928 American Jobs and Economic Growth Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56)
Oct. 27, 2011 WI SB 12 Limits Attorney Fees in Consumer Cases Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Oct. 20, 2011 National S Amdt 769 Authorizes Individuals to Import FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Oct. 18, 2011 National S Amdt 740 Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55)
Oct. 18, 2011 National S Amdt 740 Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55)
Oct. 12, 2011 National HR 3078 Trade Promotion Agreement with Colombia Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 33)
Oct. 12, 2011 National HR 3080 Free Trade Agreement with Korea Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15)
Oct. 12, 2011 National HR 3079 Trade Promotion Agreement with Panama Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 22)
Oct. 11, 2011 National S 1619 Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Act of 2011 Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 35)
Sept. 22, 2011 National S Amdt 633 Extends Trade Adjustment Assistance Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/07 SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
2/29 HB 1149 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
2/28 SB 1365 Authorizes religious objections by professionals Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
2/28 SB 1336 Limiting Manufacturer Eligibility for Punitive Damages Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
2/23 HCR 5007 Authorizes Kansas to Determine Its Health Care Policies Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14)
2/23 SB 151 Authorizes Casinos Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 21)
2/17 SB 362 Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
2/13 SB 9 Changes Corporate Income Tax Rates and Filing Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
1/23 SB 269 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
1/23 SB 170 Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest in Local Government Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
1/09 S 3172 Authorizes Direct Shipping By Local and Out-of-State Wineries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
1/09 S 3172 Authorizes Direct Shipping By Local and Out-of-State Wineries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
11/29 HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18)
11/10 S J Res 6 Disapproval of FCC Regulation of Internet and Broadband Industry Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
11/10 S Amdt 928 American Jobs and Economic Growth Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56)
10/27 SB 12 Limits Attorney Fees in Consumer Cases Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
10/20 S Amdt 769 Authorizes Individuals to Import FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
10/18 S Amdt 740 Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55)
10/18 S Amdt 740 Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55)
10/12 HR 3078 Trade Promotion Agreement with Colombia Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 33)
10/12 HR 3080 Free Trade Agreement with Korea Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15)
10/12 HR 3079 Trade Promotion Agreement with Panama Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 22)
10/11 S 1619 Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Act of 2011 Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 35)
9/22 S Amdt 633 Extends Trade Adjustment Assistance Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 28)

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