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 22, 2012 ID S 1295 Requires Massage Therapists to be Licensed Bill Passed - House (39 - 29)
March 21, 2012 NH SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
March 21, 2012 IL HB 3944 Authorizing the Recording of Police Bill Failed - House (45 - 59)
March 21, 2012 IL HB 3944 Authorizing the Recording of Police Bill Failed - House (45 - 59)
March 20, 2012 CO HB 1111 Voter Identification Amendments Bill Passed - House (33 - 31)
March 20, 2012 MN HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (72 - 62)
March 19, 2012 SD HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit Veto Override Failed - House (27 - 40)
March 19, 2012 CO HB 1130 Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses Bill Passed - House (33 - 32)
March 19, 2012 CO HB 1271 Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
March 15, 2012 MD HB 650 Reduces Prison Sentences for Inmates Seeking Education Bill Passed - House (81 - 54)
March 15, 2012 ID S 1358 Amends Bullying Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
March 14, 2012 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88)
March 14, 2012 NY S 6733 Expands DNA Database to Include Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
March 14, 2012 MS HB 488 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (70 - 47)
March 13, 2012 MI HB 4799 Prohibits Coercing a Woman into Having an Abortion Bill Passed - House (72 - 37)
March 12, 2012 KS HB 2353 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Handguns in Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (70 - 54)
March 12, 2012 ME LD 1603 Authorizes State Employees to Keep Concealed Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 1205 Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
March 8, 2012 VA SB 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
March 8, 2012 MO HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
March 8, 2012 NH HB 1654 Reduces Sentences of Prisoners Pursuing Degrees Bill Failed - House (152 - 171)
March 7, 2012 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 7, 2012 MO SB 572 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - House (87 - 68)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/22 S 1295 Requires Massage Therapists to be Licensed Bill Passed - House (39 - 29)
3/21 SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
3/21 HB 3944 Authorizing the Recording of Police Bill Failed - House (45 - 59)
3/21 HB 3944 Authorizing the Recording of Police Bill Failed - House (45 - 59)
3/20 HB 1111 Voter Identification Amendments Bill Passed - House (33 - 31)
3/20 HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (72 - 62)
3/19 HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit Veto Override Failed - House (27 - 40)
3/19 HB 1130 Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses Bill Passed - House (33 - 32)
3/19 HB 1271 Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
3/15 HB 650 Reduces Prison Sentences for Inmates Seeking Education Bill Passed - House (81 - 54)
3/15 S 1358 Amends Bullying Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
3/14 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88)
3/14 S 6733 Expands DNA Database to Include Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
3/14 HB 488 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (70 - 47)
3/13 HB 4799 Prohibits Coercing a Woman into Having an Abortion Bill Passed - House (72 - 37)
3/12 HB 2353 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Handguns in Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (70 - 54)
3/12 LD 1603 Authorizes State Employees to Keep Concealed Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
3/09 HB 1205 Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
3/08 SB 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
3/08 HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
3/08 HB 1654 Reduces Sentences of Prisoners Pursuing Degrees Bill Failed - House (152 - 171)
3/07 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/07 SB 572 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - House (87 - 68)

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