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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
| March 2, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
| March 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 115 | Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40) |
| March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| March 2, 2011 | AZ | SB 1433 | Nullification of Federal Law | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
| March 1, 2011 | AZ | SB 1394 | Regulation of Greenhouse Substances and Freedom to Breathe | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 1, 2011 | ID | S 1115 | Insurance Coverage of Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | WY | HB 120 | Open Public Meetings | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | NM | SB 319 | Eliminating Corporal Punishment | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | AZ | SB 1406 | Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| Feb. 25, 2011 | WI | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 25, 2011 | KS | HB 2067 | Voter Photographic Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 36) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MI | HB 4214 | Fiscal Accountability for Local Governments and School Districts | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MI | HB 4214 | Fiscal Accountability for Local Governments and School Districts | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MO | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | GA | SB 17 | Special Advisory Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MO | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MI | HB 4216 | Local Governments Fiscal Accountability | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MT | HB 516 | Limiting Local Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (62 - 37) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | TX | SJR 1 | Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MT | HB 382 | Nullification of Federal Laws | Bill Failed - House (42 - 57) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | TX | SJR 1 | Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/02 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
| 3/02 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
| 3/02 | S Amdt 115 | Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40) |
| 3/02 | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| 3/02 | SB 1433 | Nullification of Federal Law | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
| 3/01 | SB 1394 | Regulation of Greenhouse Substances and Freedom to Breathe | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 3/01 | S 1115 | Insurance Coverage of Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 2/28 | HB 120 | Open Public Meetings | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 2/28 | SB 319 | Eliminating Corporal Punishment | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| 2/28 | SB 1406 | Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 2/25 | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/25 | HB 2067 | Voter Photographic Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 36) |
| 2/24 | HB 4214 | Fiscal Accountability for Local Governments and School Districts | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| 2/24 | HB 4214 | Fiscal Accountability for Local Governments and School Districts | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| 2/24 | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/24 | SB 17 | Special Advisory Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 2/24 | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/23 | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 2/23 | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 2/23 | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 2/23 | HB 4216 | Local Governments Fiscal Accountability | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| 2/23 | HB 516 | Limiting Local Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (62 - 37) |
| 2/23 | SJR 1 | Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 2/23 | HB 382 | Nullification of Federal Laws | Bill Failed - House (42 - 57) |
| 2/23 | SJR 1 | Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |