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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 18, 2012 | TN | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (75 - 19) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | KY | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | TN | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (75 - 19) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | KY | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | KY | HB 30 | Authorizes Advertising on School Buses | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | NH | HB 228 | Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Abortion | Bill Passed - House (207 - 147) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | NH | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | NH | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
| Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
| Jan. 5, 2012 | NH | HB 628 | Recording and Tracking Complaints of Abuse by Transportation Security Agents | Bill Passed - House (188 - 136) |
| Dec. 20, 2011 | PA | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| Dec. 20, 2011 | PA | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | OH | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | National | S J Res 10 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | OH | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | National | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | OH | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (77 - 17) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | PA | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | PA | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | OH | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (77 - 17) |
| Dec. 6, 2011 | National | PN 5 | Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Dec. 2, 2011 | National | HR 3010 | Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies | Bill Passed - House (253 - 167) |
| Dec. 1, 2011 | National | HR 3463 | Repeals Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (235 - 190) |
| Nov. 30, 2011 | NH | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
| Nov. 18, 2011 | National | H J Res 2 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165) |
| Nov. 16, 2011 | National | HR 822 | Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms | Bill Passed - House (272 - 154) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | MI | HB 4326 | Prohibits State Agencies from Adopting Rules Stricter than Federal Rules | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 48) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | MI | HB 4326 | Prohibits State Agencies from Adopting Rules Stricter than Federal Rules | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | National | S J Res 27 | Disapproval of EPA Cross-Border Pollution Rule | Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 56) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | MI | SB 693 | Establishes MIHealth Marketplace Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | ND | HB 1474 | Establishing a Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Failed - House (30 - 64) |
| Nov. 9, 2011 | MI | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 39) |
| Nov. 9, 2011 | ND | HB 1473 | New Legislative Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| Nov. 9, 2011 | ND | HB 1473 | New Legislative Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| Nov. 8, 2011 | ND | HB 1473 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (60 - 32) |
| Nov. 8, 2011 | ND | HB 1473 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (60 - 32) |
| Nov. 7, 2011 | NC | HB 777 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (62 - 49) |
| Nov. 7, 2011 | NC | HB 777 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (62 - 49) |
| Nov. 7, 2011 | NC | SB 283 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (61 - 46) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/18 | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (75 - 19) |
| 1/18 | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 1/18 | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (75 - 19) |
| 1/18 | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 1/18 | HB 30 | Authorizes Advertising on School Buses | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| 1/18 | HB 228 | Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Abortion | Bill Passed - House (207 - 147) |
| 1/18 | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| 1/18 | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| 1/18 | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176) |
| 1/18 | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176) |
| 1/13 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 1/13 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 1/13 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 1/13 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 1/13 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| 1/13 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| 1/12 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| 1/12 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
| 1/12 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| 1/12 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
| 1/05 | HB 628 | Recording and Tracking Complaints of Abuse by Transportation Security Agents | Bill Passed - House (188 - 136) |
| 12/20 | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| 12/20 | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| 12/14 | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 12/14 | S J Res 10 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| 12/14 | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 12/14 | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
| 12/14 | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (77 - 17) |
| 12/14 | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 12/14 | SB 1249 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 12/14 | HB 369 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (77 - 17) |
| 12/06 | PN 5 | Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 12/02 | HR 3010 | Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies | Bill Passed - House (253 - 167) |
| 12/01 | HR 3463 | Repeals Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (235 - 190) |
| 11/30 | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
| 11/18 | H J Res 2 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165) |
| 11/16 | HR 822 | Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms | Bill Passed - House (272 - 154) |
| 11/10 | HB 4326 | Prohibits State Agencies from Adopting Rules Stricter than Federal Rules | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 48) |
| 11/10 | HB 4326 | Prohibits State Agencies from Adopting Rules Stricter than Federal Rules | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 11/10 | S J Res 27 | Disapproval of EPA Cross-Border Pollution Rule | Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 56) |
| 11/10 | SB 693 | Establishes MIHealth Marketplace Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 11/10 | HB 1474 | Establishing a Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Failed - House (30 - 64) |
| 11/09 | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 39) |
| 11/09 | HB 1473 | New Legislative Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 11/09 | HB 1473 | New Legislative Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 11/08 | HB 1473 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (60 - 32) |
| 11/08 | HB 1473 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (60 - 32) |
| 11/07 | HB 777 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (62 - 49) |
| 11/07 | HB 777 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (62 - 49) |
| 11/07 | SB 283 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (61 - 46) |