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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2012 | National | HR 828 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 114) |
| July 26, 2012 | National | HR 4078 | Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 172) |
| June 30, 2012 | PA | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 72) |
| June 30, 2012 | PA | SB 1263 | Prohibits Gas Drilling in Certain Areas | Bill Passed - House (123 - 74) |
| June 28, 2012 | PA | HB 1307 | Authorizes State Control of Financially Distressed Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 95) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (231 - 112) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (232 - 110) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | HB 1666 | Requires Legislative Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreements | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 124) |
| June 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 24) |
| June 25, 2012 | NJ | A 763 | Increases Fees to Fund the E-Court Information System | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 30) |
| June 19, 2012 | National | HR 2578 | Conservation and Economic Growth Act | Bill Passed - House (232 - 188) |
| June 14, 2012 | NC | HB 7 | Authorizes Community Colleges to Opt Out of Federal Loan Program | Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 46) |
| June 12, 2012 | MI | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (66 - 43) |
| June 12, 2012 | MI | SB 803 | Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 43) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | HB 1666 | Requires Legislative Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreements | Conference Report Adopted - House (203 - 77) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | HB 1490 | Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Conference Report Adopted - House (211 - 74) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | CACR 12 | Legislative Authority of Education Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - House (224 - 144) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | CACR 12 | Legislative Authority of Education Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - House (224 - 144) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
| June 6, 2012 | PA | SB 1310 | Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (129 - 67) |
| May 31, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/31 | HR 828 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 114) |
| 7/26 | HR 4078 | Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 172) |
| 6/30 | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 72) |
| 6/30 | SB 1263 | Prohibits Gas Drilling in Certain Areas | Bill Passed - House (123 - 74) |
| 6/28 | HB 1307 | Authorizes State Control of Financially Distressed Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 95) |
| 6/27 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (231 - 112) |
| 6/27 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (232 - 110) |
| 6/27 | HB 1666 | Requires Legislative Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreements | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 124) |
| 6/27 | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 24) |
| 6/25 | A 763 | Increases Fees to Fund the E-Court Information System | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 30) |
| 6/19 | HR 2578 | Conservation and Economic Growth Act | Bill Passed - House (232 - 188) |
| 6/14 | HB 7 | Authorizes Community Colleges to Opt Out of Federal Loan Program | Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 46) |
| 6/12 | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (66 - 43) |
| 6/12 | SB 803 | Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 43) |
| 6/06 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132) |
| 6/06 | HB 1666 | Requires Legislative Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreements | Conference Report Adopted - House (203 - 77) |
| 6/06 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132) |
| 6/06 | HB 1490 | Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Conference Report Adopted - House (211 - 74) |
| 6/06 | CACR 12 | Legislative Authority of Education Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - House (224 - 144) |
| 6/06 | CACR 12 | Legislative Authority of Education Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - House (224 - 144) |
| 6/06 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
| 6/06 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
| 6/06 | SB 1310 | Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (129 - 67) |
| 5/31 | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
| 5/31 | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |