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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 23, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | KS | HCR 5007 | Authorizes Kansas to Determine Its Health Care Policies | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | UT | SB 41 | Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | GA | SB 362 | Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | WI | SB 368 | Amends Wetland Development Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | OK | SB 1433 | Defines life as beginning at conception | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | KY | SB 103 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | KY | SB 103 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | OR | SB 1580 | Amends State Health Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | CO | SB 20 | Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | CO | SB 20 | Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | VA | SB 6 | Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | AZ | SB 1061 | Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | KY | SB 102 | Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | KY | SB 102 | Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| Feb. 7, 2012 | OR | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | UT | SB 32 | Breast Cancer Screening | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | CA | SB 810 | Establishes a Single-Payer Health Care System | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Jan. 9, 2012 | NJ | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| Dec. 7, 2011 | PA | HB 242 | Permitting the On-Site Sale of Alcohol at Distilleries | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
| Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S 1931 | Reduces Payroll Tax Rate | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78) |
| Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | National | S Amdt 928 | American Jobs and Economic Growth | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | National | S Amdt 928 | American Jobs and Economic Growth | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/23 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| 2/23 | HCR 5007 | Authorizes Kansas to Determine Its Health Care Policies | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 2/22 | SB 41 | Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| 2/21 | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/17 | SB 362 | Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| 2/15 | SB 368 | Amends Wetland Development Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 2/15 | SB 1433 | Defines life as beginning at conception | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| 2/14 | SB 103 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| 2/14 | SB 103 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| 2/14 | SB 1580 | Amends State Health Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 2/14 | SB 20 | Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 2/14 | SB 20 | Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 2/14 | SB 6 | Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/09 | SB 1061 | Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 2/08 | SB 102 | Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 2/08 | SB 102 | Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 2/07 | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 1/31 | SB 32 | Breast Cancer Screening | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| 1/26 | SB 810 | Establishes a Single-Payer Health Care System | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 1/09 | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 12/07 | HB 242 | Permitting the On-Site Sale of Alcohol at Distilleries | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
| 12/01 | S 1931 | Reduces Payroll Tax Rate | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78) |
| 11/17 | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
| 11/10 | S Amdt 928 | American Jobs and Economic Growth | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56) |
| 11/10 | S Amdt 928 | American Jobs and Economic Growth | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56) |