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 26, 2011 | MT | HB 627 | Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| April 21, 2011 | WA | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| April 21, 2011 | WA | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| April 7, 2011 | DE | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| April 7, 2011 | OR | SB 695 | Standards for Infant Formula Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| April 7, 2011 | OR | SB 695 | Standards for Infant Formula Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| March 24, 2011 | CO | SB 172 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 23, 2011 | KS | HB 2035 | Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| March 23, 2011 | KS | HB 2035 | Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| March 17, 2011 | AZ | SB 1308 | Separate Birth Certificates for Non-Citizens | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
| March 8, 2011 | AZ | SB 1188 | Preference for Married Couples in Adoption | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| March 2, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (14 - 16) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | NM | SB 319 | Eliminating Corporal Punishment | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| 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. 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. 10, 2011 | UT | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | AZ | SB 1086 | Tobacco Prohibitions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16) |
| 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) |
| Dec. 18, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/26 | HB 627 | Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 4/21 | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 4/21 | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 4/07 | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| 4/07 | SB 695 | Standards for Infant Formula Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 4/07 | SB 695 | Standards for Infant Formula Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 3/24 | SB 172 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/23 | HB 2035 | Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 3/23 | HB 2035 | Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 3/17 | SB 1308 | Separate Birth Certificates for Non-Citizens | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
| 3/08 | SB 1188 | Preference for Married Couples in Adoption | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 3/02 | HB 74 | Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 2/28 | SB 319 | Eliminating Corporal Punishment | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| 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) |
| 2/18 | 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) |
| 2/10 | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 2/10 | SB 1086 | Tobacco Prohibitions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16) |
| 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) |
| 12/18 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |