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. 28, 2011 NM SB 319 Eliminating Corporal Punishment Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18)
Feb. 28, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
Feb. 28, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
Feb. 24, 2011 KS HB 2035 Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion Bill Passed - House (96 - 25)
Feb. 24, 2011 KS HB 2035 Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion Bill Passed - House (96 - 25)
Feb. 23, 2011 MD SB 116 Civil Marriage Protection Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
Feb. 22, 2011 UT SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
Feb. 22, 2011 UT SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
Feb. 22, 2011 MT HB 456 Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools Bill Passed - House (67 - 30)
Feb. 18, 2011 WY HB 74 Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
Feb. 18, 2011 MT SB 97 Parental Notice of Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Feb. 17, 2011 AZ SB 1187 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
Feb. 16, 2011 HI SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
Feb. 11, 2011 HI SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Bill Passed - House (31 - 19)
Feb. 10, 2011 AZ SB 1086 Tobacco Prohibitions Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
Feb. 10, 2011 UT SB 124 Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
Feb. 9, 2011 WY HB 256 Tenant Rights in Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases Bill Passed - House (33 - 26)
Feb. 8, 2011 ND HB 1377 Children's Health Insurance Program Bill Failed - House (25 - 67)
Feb. 8, 2011 ND HB 1377 Children's Health Insurance Program Bill Failed - House (25 - 67)
Feb. 7, 2011 ND HB 1307 Alcoholic Beverage Establishments Bill Passed - House (50 - 42)
Feb. 7, 2011 WY HB 198 Admissibility of Evidence in Sex Offense Cases Bill Failed - House (29 - 30)
Feb. 7, 2011 ID HJM 1 Parental Rights Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20)
Feb. 1, 2011 IA HJR 6 Banning Same Sex Marriage Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37)
Jan. 28, 2011 HI SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6)
Jan. 27, 2011 WY SJ 5 Definition of Marriage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/28 SB 319 Eliminating Corporal Punishment Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18)
2/28 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
2/28 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
2/24 HB 2035 Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion Bill Passed - House (96 - 25)
2/24 HB 2035 Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion Bill Passed - House (96 - 25)
2/23 SB 116 Civil Marriage Protection Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
2/22 SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
2/22 SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
2/22 HB 456 Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools Bill Passed - House (67 - 30)
2/18 HB 74 Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
2/18 SB 97 Parental Notice of Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
2/17 SB 1187 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
2/16 SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
2/11 SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Bill Passed - House (31 - 19)
2/10 SB 1086 Tobacco Prohibitions Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
2/10 SB 124 Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
2/09 HB 256 Tenant Rights in Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases Bill Passed - House (33 - 26)
2/08 HB 1377 Children's Health Insurance Program Bill Failed - House (25 - 67)
2/08 HB 1377 Children's Health Insurance Program Bill Failed - House (25 - 67)
2/07 HB 1307 Alcoholic Beverage Establishments Bill Passed - House (50 - 42)
2/07 HB 198 Admissibility of Evidence in Sex Offense Cases Bill Failed - House (29 - 30)
2/07 HJM 1 Parental Rights Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20)
2/01 HJR 6 Banning Same Sex Marriage Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37)
1/28 SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6)
1/27 SJ 5 Definition of Marriage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 10)

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