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. 7, 2013 ND SCR 4009 Expands "Right to Life" to Human Beings at Any Stage of Development Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
Feb. 6, 2013 AR SB 131 Prohibits Disclosure of Concealed Firearm Permit Information Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Feb. 5, 2013 VA SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 5, 2013 VA SB 719 Amends Voting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 4, 2013 VA SB 721 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)
Jan. 31, 2013 AR SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Jan. 28, 2013 WY SF 132 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Jan. 28, 2013 AR SB 71 Authorizes Handguns on Religious Institutions' Properties Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
Jan. 14, 2013 NY S 2230 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18)
Dec. 28, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
Dec. 28, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
Dec. 21, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
Dec. 13, 2012 MI SB 59 Expands Areas Where Concealed Weapons are Authorized Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
Dec. 13, 2012 OH HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Dec. 4, 2012 National Treaty Doc. 112-7 The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Treaty Ratification Failed - Senate (61 - 38)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3018 Prohibits the Indefinite Detention of Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3018 Prohibits the Indefinite Detention of Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
Nov. 28, 2012 National S Amdt 2955 Expands the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program Amendment Adopted - Senate (85 - 11)
Nov. 14, 2012 National S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 1816 Authorizes Delaware Port Authority to Inspect Hazardous Materials Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Oct. 17, 2012 PA SB 850 Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/07 SCR 4009 Expands "Right to Life" to Human Beings at Any Stage of Development Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
2/06 SB 131 Prohibits Disclosure of Concealed Firearm Permit Information Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
2/05 SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/05 SB 719 Amends Voting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/04 SB 721 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)
1/31 SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
1/28 SF 132 Authorizes the Use of Silencers While Hunting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
1/28 SB 71 Authorizes Handguns on Religious Institutions' Properties Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
1/14 S 2230 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 18)
12/28 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
12/28 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
12/21 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
12/13 SB 59 Expands Areas Where Concealed Weapons are Authorized Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
12/13 HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
12/04 Treaty Doc. 112-7 The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Treaty Ratification Failed - Senate (61 - 38)
11/29 S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
11/29 S Amdt 3018 Prohibits the Indefinite Detention of Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
11/29 S Amdt 3018 Prohibits the Indefinite Detention of Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
11/29 S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
11/28 S Amdt 2955 Expands the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program Amendment Adopted - Senate (85 - 11)
11/14 S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
10/25 S 1816 Authorizes Delaware Port Authority to Inspect Hazardous Materials Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
10/25 S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
10/17 SB 850 Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
8/29 SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)

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