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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 27, 2012 | AZ | SB 1204 | Authorizes Parents to Vote to Close Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | MD | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | UT | SB 41 | Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | UT | SB 41 | Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | VA | HB 189 | Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | NJ | S 1 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | VA | SB 349 | Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 7, 2012 | UT | SB 128 | Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | WA | SB 6239 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| Jan. 9, 2012 | NJ | A 4366 | Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Dec. 15, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
| Dec. 7, 2011 | MI | HB 4770 | Prohibits Public Employers from Providing Medical Benefits to Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Nov. 2, 2011 | WI | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Oct. 25, 2011 | WI | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Sept. 13, 2011 | NC | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Sept. 2, 2011 | CA | SB 746 | Prohibits the Use of Tanning Beds by Minors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Aug. 31, 2011 | CA | AB 499 | Authorizes Minors to Seek Medical Care for STDs | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| Aug. 30, 2011 | CA | AB 1319 | Prohibiting the Use of BPA in Baby Products | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| June 29, 2011 | RI | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| June 24, 2011 | NY | A 8354 | Marriage Equality Enactment | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29) |
| June 22, 2011 | NH | HB 329 | Revising Abortion Procedures for Unemancipated Minors | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| May 11, 2011 | MN | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 27) |
| April 26, 2011 | MT | HB 627 | Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/27 | SB 1204 | Authorizes Parents to Vote to Close Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 2/23 | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 2/22 | SB 41 | Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| 2/22 | SB 41 | Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| 2/21 | HB 189 | Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/13 | S 1 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 2/09 | SB 349 | Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/07 | SB 128 | Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 2/01 | SB 6239 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 1/09 | A 4366 | Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 12/15 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
| 12/07 | HB 4770 | Prohibits Public Employers from Providing Medical Benefits to Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 11/02 | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 10/25 | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 9/13 | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 9/08 | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 9/08 | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 9/02 | SB 746 | Prohibits the Use of Tanning Beds by Minors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 8/31 | AB 499 | Authorizes Minors to Seek Medical Care for STDs | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 8/30 | AB 1319 | Prohibiting the Use of BPA in Baby Products | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 6/29 | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 6/24 | A 8354 | Marriage Equality Enactment | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29) |
| 6/22 | HB 329 | Revising Abortion Procedures for Unemancipated Minors | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 5/11 | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 27) |
| 4/26 | HB 627 | Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |