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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| May 12, 2011 | RI | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| May 11, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
| May 11, 2011 | KS | SB 129 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (15 - 23) |
| May 9, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 9, 2011 | TX | SB 1581 | Concealed Handguns on Campus | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| May 5, 2011 | FL | HB 353 | Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| May 4, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| April 28, 2011 | MT | HB 271 | Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| April 28, 2011 | MO | HB 73 | Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| April 28, 2011 | FL | HB 45 | Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8) |
| April 28, 2011 | FL | SB 234 | Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| April 25, 2011 | NV | SB 180 | Criminal and Civil Liability for Gender Identity Crimes | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11) |
| April 19, 2011 | AZ | HB 2230 | Relating to the 9/11 Memorial | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| April 14, 2011 | GA | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 3) |
| April 12, 2011 | OK | S Amdt 1 | Removes Provision Authorizing Legislators to Carry Firearms | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| April 11, 2011 | GA | HB 92 | Limits Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20) |
| April 5, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 5, 2011 | DE | HB 19 | Reduce Punishment for Drug Possession | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| March 30, 2011 | NH | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| March 17, 2011 | CA | AB 109 | Criminal Justice Realignment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| March 16, 2011 | AZ | SB 1613 | Budget Proposal | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| March 14, 2011 | AZ | SB 1467 | Concealed Weapons on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| March 8, 2011 | AZ | SB 1610 | Official State Gun | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 3, 2011 | AZ | SB 1201 | Firearms Omnibus | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/20 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 5/12 | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 5/11 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
| 5/11 | SB 129 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (15 - 23) |
| 5/09 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 5/09 | SB 1581 | Concealed Handguns on Campus | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 5/05 | HB 353 | Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 5/04 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 4/28 | HB 271 | Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 4/28 | HB 73 | Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| 4/28 | HB 45 | Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8) |
| 4/28 | SB 234 | Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 4/25 | SB 180 | Criminal and Civil Liability for Gender Identity Crimes | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11) |
| 4/19 | HB 2230 | Relating to the 9/11 Memorial | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 4/14 | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 3) |
| 4/12 | S Amdt 1 | Removes Provision Authorizing Legislators to Carry Firearms | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 4/11 | HB 92 | Limits Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20) |
| 4/05 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/05 | HB 19 | Reduce Punishment for Drug Possession | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| 3/30 | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| 3/17 | AB 109 | Criminal Justice Realignment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 3/16 | SB 1613 | Budget Proposal | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 3/14 | SB 1467 | Concealed Weapons on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 3/08 | SB 1610 | Official State Gun | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 3/03 | SB 1201 | Firearms Omnibus | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |