Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
May 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2107 Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
May 22, 2012 OH HB 473 Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
May 15, 2012 MA S Amdt 125 Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22)
May 15, 2012 MA S Amdt 125 Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22)
May 10, 2012 IL SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20)
May 9, 2012 RI S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
May 9, 2012 RI S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
May 2, 2012 CO SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
May 1, 2012 CT HB 5021 Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6)
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 27, 2012 CO SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
April 25, 2012 AZ HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 9)
April 25, 2012 AZ HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 9)
April 25, 2012 TN SB 2580 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
April 24, 2012 TN HJR 587 Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
April 20, 2012 KY HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
April 20, 2012 KY HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
April 14, 2012 ME LD 1913 Worker's Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 12, 2012 AZ HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
April 12, 2012 AZ HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
April 11, 2012 WA SB 5940 Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20)
April 11, 2012 NE LB 1161 Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
April 11, 2012 NE LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
April 11, 2012 NE LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/24 S Amdt 2107 Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
5/22 HB 473 Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
5/15 S Amdt 125 Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22)
5/15 S Amdt 125 Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22)
5/10 SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20)
5/09 S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
5/09 S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
5/02 SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
5/01 HB 5021 Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6)
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)
4/27 SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
4/25 HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 9)
4/25 HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 9)
4/25 SB 2580 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
4/24 HJR 587 Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
4/20 HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
4/20 HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
4/14 LD 1913 Worker's Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/12 HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
4/12 HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
4/11 SB 5940 Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20)
4/11 LB 1161 Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
4/11 LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
4/11 LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)

arrow_upward