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 5, 2012 | AZ | SCR 1008 | Declaration of State of Emergency | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | SB 1083 | Establishes the Arizona Special Missions Unit | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | SB 1507 | Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | CO | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | VA | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 24, 2012 | GA | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| Feb. 24, 2012 | GA | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | KS | SB 83 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | KS | HCR 5007 | Authorizes Kansas to Determine Its Health Care Policies | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | ID | HB 391 | Repeals the Presidential Primary Election | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 16) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | CO | SB 147 | Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SB 386 | Removes Voter Registration at High Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | AZ | SB 1484 | Prohibits Certain Deductions from Public Employee Paychecks | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | MI | SB 751 | Photo Identification Requirements for Absentee Voters | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | MI | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | AZ | SB 1061 | Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | VA | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/05 | SCR 1008 | Declaration of State of Emergency | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 3/01 | SB 1083 | Establishes the Arizona Special Missions Unit | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 3/01 | SB 1507 | Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/29 | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 2/28 | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| 2/28 | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| 2/28 | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/28 | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/27 | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/24 | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 2/24 | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 2/23 | SB 83 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 22) |
| 2/23 | HCR 5007 | Authorizes Kansas to Determine Its Health Care Policies | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 2/23 | HB 391 | Repeals the Presidential Primary Election | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 16) |
| 2/23 | SB 147 | Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/21 | SB 386 | Removes Voter Registration at High Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/21 | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/21 | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/16 | SB 1484 | Prohibits Certain Deductions from Public Employee Paychecks | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 2/15 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/15 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/14 | SB 751 | Photo Identification Requirements for Absentee Voters | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 2/14 | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 2/09 | SB 1061 | Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 2/06 | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |