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 27, 2011 NV AB 552 DNA Samples for Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (31 - 11)
May 26, 2011 National S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153)
May 26, 2011 National S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153)
May 25, 2011 TX HB 359 Corporal Punishment in Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64)
May 17, 2011 LA HB 7 Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (67 - 26)
May 16, 2011 TX SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46)
May 16, 2011 CA AB 144 Concealed Weapons Bill Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
May 13, 2011 TX HB 359 Corporal Punishment in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
May 10, 2011 MO HB 73 Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 34)
May 4, 2011 FL SB 234 Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm Bill Passed - House (99 - 17)
May 4, 2011 LA HB 52 Increasing New Orleans Traffic Court Costs Bill Failed - House (49 - 22)
April 26, 2011 SC H 3003 Voter ID Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36)
April 26, 2011 FL HB 45 Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition Bill Passed - House (85 - 33)
April 26, 2011 FL HB 353 Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries Bill Passed - House (78 - 38)
April 20, 2011 AZ HB 2230 Relating to the 9/11 Memorial Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 20)
April 20, 2011 AZ SB 1610 Official State Gun Bill Passed - House (32 - 25)
April 20, 2011 NC SB 33 Medical Malpractice Amendments Bill Passed - House (91 - 27)
April 18, 2011 IN SB 292 Prohibits Local Limits on Gun Ownership Bill Passed - House (77 - 21)
April 14, 2011 TN SB 16 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (57 - 35)
April 13, 2011 IL HB 203 Limit on Sale of Firearms Within a Certain Time Period Bill Failed - House (47 - 68)
April 12, 2011 MT HB 271 Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 29)
April 12, 2011 IL HB 3499 Firearm Waiting Period Exemptions Bill Passed - House (78 - 34)
April 11, 2011 PA HB 1 Comparative Negligence Provisions Bill Passed - House (112 - 88)
April 9, 2011 AK HB 80 Expands the Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - House (33 - 6)
April 9, 2011 AK HB 80 Expands the Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - House (33 - 6)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/27 AB 552 DNA Samples for Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (31 - 11)
5/26 S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153)
5/26 S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153)
5/25 HB 359 Corporal Punishment in Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64)
5/17 HB 7 Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (67 - 26)
5/16 SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46)
5/16 AB 144 Concealed Weapons Bill Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
5/13 HB 359 Corporal Punishment in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
5/10 HB 73 Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 34)
5/04 SB 234 Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm Bill Passed - House (99 - 17)
5/04 HB 52 Increasing New Orleans Traffic Court Costs Bill Failed - House (49 - 22)
4/26 H 3003 Voter ID Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36)
4/26 HB 45 Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition Bill Passed - House (85 - 33)
4/26 HB 353 Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries Bill Passed - House (78 - 38)
4/20 HB 2230 Relating to the 9/11 Memorial Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 20)
4/20 SB 1610 Official State Gun Bill Passed - House (32 - 25)
4/20 SB 33 Medical Malpractice Amendments Bill Passed - House (91 - 27)
4/18 SB 292 Prohibits Local Limits on Gun Ownership Bill Passed - House (77 - 21)
4/14 SB 16 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (57 - 35)
4/13 HB 203 Limit on Sale of Firearms Within a Certain Time Period Bill Failed - House (47 - 68)
4/12 HB 271 Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 29)
4/12 HB 3499 Firearm Waiting Period Exemptions Bill Passed - House (78 - 34)
4/11 HB 1 Comparative Negligence Provisions Bill Passed - House (112 - 88)
4/09 HB 80 Expands the Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - House (33 - 6)
4/09 HB 80 Expands the Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - House (33 - 6)

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