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 2, 2012 | MS | HB 211 | Authorizes Certian Officials to Hire Their Own Lawyers | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 18) |
| May 2, 2012 | MS | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| May 2, 2012 | MS | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| May 2, 2012 | MS | JR 201 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| May 2, 2012 | MS | JR 201 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| April 30, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2004 | Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources | Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| April 27, 2012 | CO | SM 3 | Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
| April 25, 2012 | AZ | SB 1332 | Requires the Federal Government to Give Back Land to Arizona | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| April 25, 2012 | OK | HB 3061 | Reduces Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| April 24, 2012 | AZ | SB 1182 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| April 23, 2012 | TN | SJR 710 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| April 10, 2012 | MS | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| April 9, 2012 | MD | SB 236 | Septic System Installation Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| April 9, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| April 5, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
| April 5, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
| April 4, 2012 | AZ | HB 2434 | Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 28, 2012 | ID | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 28, 2012 | OH | SB 295 | Repealing Provisions of the Election Revision Code | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| March 27, 2012 | MD | SB 892 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| March 23, 2012 | ID | H 619 | Prohibits Speed Limit Regulation by Local Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| March 22, 2012 | FL | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| March 22, 2012 | FL | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/02 | HB 211 | Authorizes Certian Officials to Hire Their Own Lawyers | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 18) |
| 5/02 | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| 5/02 | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| 5/02 | JR 201 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| 5/02 | JR 201 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| 4/30 | HCR 2004 | Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources | Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 4/27 | SM 3 | Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
| 4/25 | SB 1332 | Requires the Federal Government to Give Back Land to Arizona | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 4/25 | HB 3061 | Reduces Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 4/24 | SB 1182 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 4/23 | SJR 710 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 4/10 | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| 4/09 | SB 236 | Septic System Installation Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 4/09 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 4/05 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
| 4/05 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
| 4/04 | HB 2434 | Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 3/28 | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/28 | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/28 | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/28 | SB 295 | Repealing Provisions of the Election Revision Code | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 3/27 | SB 892 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| 3/23 | H 619 | Prohibits Speed Limit Regulation by Local Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 3/22 | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 3/22 | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |