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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 27, 2011 | MT | HB 627 | Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| April 21, 2011 | WA | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40) |
| April 21, 2011 | WA | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40) |
| April 14, 2011 | DE | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| April 1, 2011 | TX | Amdt 143 | Requiring Public Colleges and Universities to Fund Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values | Amendment Adopted - House (110 - 24) |
| April 1, 2011 | TX | Amdt 143 | Requiring Public Colleges and Universities to Fund Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values | Amendment Adopted - House (110 - 24) |
| March 9, 2011 | MD | Amendment 223923 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72) |
| March 8, 2011 | IA | HF 535 | Repeals Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
| March 8, 2011 | IA | HF 535 | Repeals Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
| March 7, 2011 | WA | HB 1166 | Preventing Alcohol Poisoning Deaths | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| March 7, 2011 | UT | 1SHB 89 | Protection of Children from Second Hand Smoke in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (39 - 35) |
| March 3, 2011 | UT | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| March 2, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 28) |
| March 1, 2011 | GA | HB 279 | Increased Age Requirement for Child Restraints | Bill Passed - House (129 - 43) |
| 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. 22, 2011 | MT | HB 456 | Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| Feb. 11, 2011 | HI | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Bill Passed - House (31 - 19) |
| 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 | ID | HJM 1 | Parental Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 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. 1, 2011 | IA | HJR 6 | Banning Same Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37) |
| Jan. 24, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (32 - 27) |
| Dec. 15, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
| Sept. 22, 2010 | National | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
| Aug. 30, 2010 | CA | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| Aug. 30, 2010 | CA | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| July 8, 2010 | NC | HB 1726 | Child Care Nutrition and Activity Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 8) |
| July 1, 2010 | NY | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - House (95 - 44) |
| July 1, 2010 | NY | S 3890 | Divorce Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (120 - 20) |
| July 1, 2010 | PA | HB 67 | Driving Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (71 - 126) |
| June 29, 2010 | PA | HB 2189 | Defining the Offense of Sexting | Bill Passed - House (163 - 36) |
| June 28, 2010 | NC | HB 1726 | Child Care Nutrition and Activity Standards | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| June 21, 2010 | NJ | A 2740 | Requiring Review of New Drivers' Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 21) |
| June 16, 2010 | LA | HB 303 | Authorizing Home School Student Athletic Participation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| June 2, 2010 | OH | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 2244 | Prohibiting the Denial of Health Care Coverage for Children with Preexisting Conditions | Bill Passed - House (50 - 25) |
| May 26, 2010 | OH | HB 473 | Prohibits Inappropriate Pictures of Minors | Bill Passed - House (86 - 12) |
| May 13, 2010 | LA | HB 554 | Prohibiting Release on Own Recognizance for Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (63 - 20) |
| May 12, 2010 | LA | HB 1339 | Increasing Driving Restrictions on Class E License Holders | Bill Passed - House (59 - 34) |
| May 6, 2010 | IL | SB 3658 | Temporary Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - House (65 - 51) |
| May 4, 2010 | CT | HB 5423 | Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals | Bill Passed - House (81 - 67) |
| April 28, 2010 | LA | HB 1259 | Prohibiting "Cyber-Bullying" | Bill Passed - House (78 - 16) |
| April 27, 2010 | IL | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (73 - 41) |
| April 27, 2010 | CT | HB 5246 | Domestic Violence Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (125 - 19) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/27 | HB 627 | Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| 4/21 | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40) |
| 4/21 | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40) |
| 4/14 | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| 4/01 | Amdt 143 | Requiring Public Colleges and Universities to Fund Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values | Amendment Adopted - House (110 - 24) |
| 4/01 | Amdt 143 | Requiring Public Colleges and Universities to Fund Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values | Amendment Adopted - House (110 - 24) |
| 3/09 | Amendment 223923 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72) |
| 3/08 | HF 535 | Repeals Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
| 3/08 | HF 535 | Repeals Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
| 3/07 | HB 1166 | Preventing Alcohol Poisoning Deaths | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| 3/07 | 1SHB 89 | Protection of Children from Second Hand Smoke in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (39 - 35) |
| 3/03 | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| 3/02 | HB 74 | Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 28) |
| 3/01 | HB 279 | Increased Age Requirement for Child Restraints | Bill Passed - House (129 - 43) |
| 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) |
| 2/22 | HB 456 | Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| 2/11 | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Bill Passed - House (31 - 19) |
| 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 | HJM 1 | Parental Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 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) |
| 2/01 | HJR 6 | Banning Same Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37) |
| 1/24 | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (32 - 27) |
| 12/15 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
| 9/22 | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
| 8/30 | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| 8/30 | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| 7/08 | HB 1726 | Child Care Nutrition and Activity Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 8) |
| 7/01 | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - House (95 - 44) |
| 7/01 | S 3890 | Divorce Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (120 - 20) |
| 7/01 | HB 67 | Driving Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (71 - 126) |
| 6/29 | HB 2189 | Defining the Offense of Sexting | Bill Passed - House (163 - 36) |
| 6/28 | HB 1726 | Child Care Nutrition and Activity Standards | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| 6/21 | A 2740 | Requiring Review of New Drivers' Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 21) |
| 6/16 | HB 303 | Authorizing Home School Student Athletic Participation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| 6/02 | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| 6/01 | AB 2244 | Prohibiting the Denial of Health Care Coverage for Children with Preexisting Conditions | Bill Passed - House (50 - 25) |
| 5/26 | HB 473 | Prohibits Inappropriate Pictures of Minors | Bill Passed - House (86 - 12) |
| 5/13 | HB 554 | Prohibiting Release on Own Recognizance for Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (63 - 20) |
| 5/12 | HB 1339 | Increasing Driving Restrictions on Class E License Holders | Bill Passed - House (59 - 34) |
| 5/06 | SB 3658 | Temporary Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - House (65 - 51) |
| 5/04 | HB 5423 | Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals | Bill Passed - House (81 - 67) |
| 4/28 | HB 1259 | Prohibiting "Cyber-Bullying" | Bill Passed - House (78 - 16) |
| 4/27 | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (73 - 41) |
| 4/27 | HB 5246 | Domestic Violence Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (125 - 19) |