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 29, 2012 CA AB 1447 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
May 24, 2012 LA SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Bill Passed - House (77 - 22)
May 22, 2012 IL SB 1808 Authorizes Individuals to Record Law Enforcement Officers Bill Passed - House (71 - 45)
May 18, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Bill Passed - House (299 - 120)
May 18, 2012 National H Amdt 1127 Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238)
May 18, 2012 National H Amdt 1127 Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238)
May 16, 2012 National HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
May 16, 2012 National HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
May 15, 2012 LA HB 380 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (65 - 26)
May 15, 2012 CO HB 1005 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - House (38 - 24)
May 3, 2012 CA AB 1527 Prohibits Open Carry of Certain Unloaded Firearms Bill Passed - House (44 - 29)
May 3, 2012 CA AB 1527 Prohibits Open Carry of Certain Unloaded Firearms Bill Passed - House (44 - 29)
April 30, 2012 CT HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - House (83 - 59)
April 26, 2012 MS HB 921 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39)
April 26, 2012 MO HB 1540 Prohibits Employees from Suing Co-Workers for Job Injuries Bill Passed - House (99 - 47)
April 26, 2012 National HR 3523 Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act Bill Passed - House (248 - 168)
April 25, 2012 MA H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
April 20, 2012 KY HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 19)
April 19, 2012 AZ SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Bill Passed - House (34 - 22)
April 19, 2012 MO HB 1860 Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock Bill Passed - House (108 - 32)
April 18, 2012 CO HB 1048 Repeals State Background Checks for Gun Buyers Bill Passed - House (37 - 28)
April 18, 2012 TN HB 3517 Expands Definition of Offense Against Fetuses Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
April 12, 2012 CA AB 2127 Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders Bill Passed - House (48 - 24)
April 11, 2012 CT SB 280 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (86 - 62)
April 11, 2012 ME LD 1810 Regulatory Takings Bill Passed - House (74 - 72)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/29 AB 1447 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
5/24 SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Bill Passed - House (77 - 22)
5/22 SB 1808 Authorizes Individuals to Record Law Enforcement Officers Bill Passed - House (71 - 45)
5/18 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Bill Passed - House (299 - 120)
5/18 H Amdt 1127 Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238)
5/18 H Amdt 1127 Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238)
5/16 HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
5/16 HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
5/15 HB 380 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (65 - 26)
5/15 HB 1005 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - House (38 - 24)
5/03 AB 1527 Prohibits Open Carry of Certain Unloaded Firearms Bill Passed - House (44 - 29)
5/03 AB 1527 Prohibits Open Carry of Certain Unloaded Firearms Bill Passed - House (44 - 29)
4/30 HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - House (83 - 59)
4/26 HB 921 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39)
4/26 HB 1540 Prohibits Employees from Suing Co-Workers for Job Injuries Bill Passed - House (99 - 47)
4/26 HR 3523 Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act Bill Passed - House (248 - 168)
4/25 H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
4/20 HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 19)
4/19 SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Bill Passed - House (34 - 22)
4/19 HB 1860 Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock Bill Passed - House (108 - 32)
4/18 HB 1048 Repeals State Background Checks for Gun Buyers Bill Passed - House (37 - 28)
4/18 HB 3517 Expands Definition of Offense Against Fetuses Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
4/12 AB 2127 Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders Bill Passed - House (48 - 24)
4/11 SB 280 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (86 - 62)
4/11 LD 1810 Regulatory Takings Bill Passed - House (74 - 72)

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