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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2011 | CT | HB 6342 | Attorney General Candidate Qualifications | Bill Passed - House (91 - 51) |
| May 18, 2011 | NV | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| May 18, 2011 | NC | HB 658 | Amending Early Voting Period | Bill Passed - House (60 - 58) |
| May 18, 2011 | NV | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| May 17, 2011 | MN | HF 1425 | Legislative Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 29) |
| May 17, 2011 | MN | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| May 17, 2011 | MN | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| May 16, 2011 | OK | HB 2145 | State House Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 4) |
| May 16, 2011 | OK | HB 2145 | State House Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 4) |
| May 16, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46) |
| May 13, 2011 | MN | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - House (71 - 61) |
| May 13, 2011 | MN | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - House (71 - 61) |
| May 12, 2011 | MI | HB 4479 | Interstate Compact and Business Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 52) |
| May 12, 2011 | MI | HB 4479 | Interstate Compact and Business Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| May 12, 2011 | TN | HB 600 | Equal Access to Interstate Commerce Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| May 12, 2011 | MI | HB 4484 | State Tax on Retirement Distributions for Judges and State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
| May 12, 2011 | RI | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| May 11, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
| May 11, 2011 | KS | SB 129 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (15 - 23) |
| May 11, 2011 | WI | AB 7 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| May 11, 2011 | MN | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 27) |
| May 10, 2011 | NV | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (25 - 17) |
| May 10, 2011 | NV | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (25 - 17) |
| May 10, 2011 | CO | HB 1319 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| May 10, 2011 | CO | HB 1319 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| May 10, 2011 | NV | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| May 10, 2011 | NV | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| May 10, 2011 | TX | HB 12 | Enforcement Of State And Federal Laws Governing Immigration | Bill Passed - House (100 - 47) |
| May 9, 2011 | NJ | S 2756 | Authorizes Registered Voters to Receive Mail-In Ballots Automatically | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| May 9, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 9, 2011 | CA | SB 168 | Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| May 7, 2011 | UT | HB 328 | State Government Work Week | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
| May 6, 2011 | MN | HF 1425 | Legislative Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - House (69 - 58) |
| May 6, 2011 | UT | HB 328 | State Government Work Week | Veto Override Passed - House (50 - 18) |
| May 5, 2011 | VT | H 202 | Single-Payer and Unified Health System | Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 49) |
| May 5, 2011 | CO | SB 200 | Establishing a Health Benefit Exchange | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| May 5, 2011 | NC | HB 129 | Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 32) |
| May 4, 2011 | MO | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| May 4, 2011 | MO | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| May 4, 2011 | MO | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - House (109 - 44) |
| May 4, 2011 | MO | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - House (109 - 44) |
| May 4, 2011 | FL | HJR 1179 | Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34) |
| May 4, 2011 | CO | SB 200 | Establishing a Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Passed - House (44 - 21) |
| May 4, 2011 | FL | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
| May 4, 2011 | CO | HB 1273 | State Health Care Enactment | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| May 4, 2011 | FL | HJR 381 | Homestead and Property Assessment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 3, 2011 | VT | H 202 | Single-Payer and Unified Health System | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 9) |
| May 3, 2011 | NC | HB 129 | Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
| May 3, 2011 | OK | HB 1527 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 5) |
| May 3, 2011 | OK | HB 1527 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 5) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/18 | HB 6342 | Attorney General Candidate Qualifications | Bill Passed - House (91 - 51) |
| 5/18 | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| 5/18 | HB 658 | Amending Early Voting Period | Bill Passed - House (60 - 58) |
| 5/18 | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| 5/17 | HF 1425 | Legislative Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 29) |
| 5/17 | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| 5/17 | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| 5/16 | HB 2145 | State House Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 4) |
| 5/16 | HB 2145 | State House Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 4) |
| 5/16 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46) |
| 5/13 | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - House (71 - 61) |
| 5/13 | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - House (71 - 61) |
| 5/12 | HB 4479 | Interstate Compact and Business Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 52) |
| 5/12 | HB 4479 | Interstate Compact and Business Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| 5/12 | HB 600 | Equal Access to Interstate Commerce Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 5/12 | HB 4484 | State Tax on Retirement Distributions for Judges and State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
| 5/12 | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 5/11 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
| 5/11 | SB 129 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (15 - 23) |
| 5/11 | AB 7 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| 5/11 | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 27) |
| 5/10 | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (25 - 17) |
| 5/10 | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (25 - 17) |
| 5/10 | HB 1319 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| 5/10 | HB 1319 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| 5/10 | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 5/10 | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 5/10 | HB 12 | Enforcement Of State And Federal Laws Governing Immigration | Bill Passed - House (100 - 47) |
| 5/09 | S 2756 | Authorizes Registered Voters to Receive Mail-In Ballots Automatically | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| 5/09 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 5/09 | SB 168 | Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 5/07 | HB 328 | State Government Work Week | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
| 5/06 | HF 1425 | Legislative Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - House (69 - 58) |
| 5/06 | HB 328 | State Government Work Week | Veto Override Passed - House (50 - 18) |
| 5/05 | H 202 | Single-Payer and Unified Health System | Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 49) |
| 5/05 | SB 200 | Establishing a Health Benefit Exchange | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 5/05 | HB 129 | Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 32) |
| 5/04 | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 5/04 | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 5/04 | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - House (109 - 44) |
| 5/04 | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - House (109 - 44) |
| 5/04 | HJR 1179 | Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34) |
| 5/04 | SB 200 | Establishing a Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Passed - House (44 - 21) |
| 5/04 | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
| 5/04 | HB 1273 | State Health Care Enactment | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| 5/04 | HJR 381 | Homestead and Property Assessment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/03 | H 202 | Single-Payer and Unified Health System | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 5/03 | HB 129 | Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
| 5/03 | HB 1527 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 5) |
| 5/03 | HB 1527 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 5) |