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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 19, 2012 | MO | HB 1860 | Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock | Bill Passed - House (108 - 32) |
| April 16, 2012 | OK | HB 2296 | Limits Certain Civil Liability for Mobile Home Park Operators | Bill Tabled - House (43 - 36) |
| April 12, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 1161 | Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| April 11, 2012 | ME | LD 1810 | Regulatory Takings | Bill Passed - House (74 - 72) |
| March 28, 2012 | SC | SB 1227 | Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds | Bill Passed - House (85 - 22) |
| March 12, 2012 | KS | HB 2353 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Handguns in Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (70 - 54) |
| March 7, 2012 | UT | HB 148 | Authorizes the Transfer of Federal Lands to the State | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14) |
| March 7, 2012 | UT | HB 148 | Authorizes the Transfer of Federal Lands to the State | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
| March 6, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
| March 5, 2012 | OR | SB 1552 | Requirements for Lenders Seeking Foreclosure | Bill Passed - House (59 - 1) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | MN | HF 1467 | Expands the Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 47) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | FL | HB 213 | Amends Mortgage Foreclosure Process | Bill Passed - House (94 - 17) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | UT | HB 511 | Authorizing Eminent Domain over Federal Land | Bill Passed - House (57 - 14) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | MN | HF 1467 | Expands the Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 23) |
| Feb. 20, 2012 | OR | HB 4090 | Reducing Restrictions on Urban Development | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | OR | SB 1564 | Amends Requirements for Foreclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | OR | SB 1552 | Requirements for Lenders Seeking Foreclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | IA | HF 2274 | Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | NY | S 6087-A | Authorizes the Use of School Property for Religious Meetings and Worship | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 7) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | NH | HB 574 | Authorizes Government Acquisition of Private Property in State of Emergency | Bill Passed - House (257 - 87) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Jan. 25, 2012 | NH | Amdt 367s | Restricting Eminent Domain Petitions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
| Jan. 5, 2012 | NH | HB 194 | Authorizes Loaded Rifles and Shotguns in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (204 - 110) |
| Jan. 4, 2012 | NH | HB 334 | Authorizes Weapons on Public Property | Bill Passed - House (180 - 144) |
| Nov. 1, 2011 | WI | AB 69 | Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
| July 1, 2011 | DE | SB 65 | Expansion of Criminal Nuisance Definition | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
| June 22, 2011 | DE | SB 97 | Approval of Rental Prices on Certain Housing | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 9) |
| June 15, 2011 | NY | A 8446 | Extension of Rent Control Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| June 15, 2011 | NY | A 8446 | Extension of Rent Control Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 43) |
| June 13, 2011 | OR | HB 2541 | Amends Inheritance Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| June 9, 2011 | NJ | S 805 | Senior Tenants' Rent Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| May 23, 2011 | NV | SB 368 | Prohibits Discrimination in Housing | Bill Passed - House (29 - 13) |
| May 10, 2011 | IA | SF 522 | Establishing a Property Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (58 - 40) |
| May 10, 2011 | OR | HB 2541 | Amends Inheritance Taxes | Bill Passed - House (34 - 25) |
| May 6, 2011 | VT | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 48) |
| May 5, 2011 | VT | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 10) |
| May 4, 2011 | FL | HJR 381 | Homestead and Property Assessment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| April 25, 2011 | NV | SB 368 | Prohibits Discrimination in Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| April 20, 2011 | MT | HB 198 | Eminent Domain Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| April 20, 2011 | WA | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| April 18, 2011 | CO | HB 1141 | Reduces Business Taxes | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| April 11, 2011 | NY | A 2674 | Rent Regulation | Bill Passed - House (92 - 54) |
| March 29, 2011 | National | HR 839 | Terminating the Home Affordable Modification Program | Bill Passed - House (252 - 170) |
| March 16, 2011 | National | HR 861 | Terminating the Neighborhood Stabilization Program | Bill Passed - House (242 - 182) |
| March 11, 2011 | National | HR 836 | Terminating the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (242 - 177) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/19 | HB 1860 | Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock | Bill Passed - House (108 - 32) |
| 4/16 | HB 2296 | Limits Certain Civil Liability for Mobile Home Park Operators | Bill Tabled - House (43 - 36) |
| 4/12 | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 4/11 | LB 1161 | Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| 4/11 | LD 1810 | Regulatory Takings | Bill Passed - House (74 - 72) |
| 3/28 | SB 1227 | Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds | Bill Passed - House (85 - 22) |
| 3/12 | HB 2353 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Handguns in Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (70 - 54) |
| 3/07 | HB 148 | Authorizes the Transfer of Federal Lands to the State | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14) |
| 3/07 | HB 148 | Authorizes the Transfer of Federal Lands to the State | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
| 3/06 | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
| 3/05 | SB 1552 | Requirements for Lenders Seeking Foreclosure | Bill Passed - House (59 - 1) |
| 2/29 | HF 1467 | Expands the Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 47) |
| 2/29 | HB 213 | Amends Mortgage Foreclosure Process | Bill Passed - House (94 - 17) |
| 2/27 | HB 511 | Authorizing Eminent Domain over Federal Land | Bill Passed - House (57 - 14) |
| 2/23 | HF 1467 | Expands the Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 23) |
| 2/20 | HB 4090 | Reducing Restrictions on Urban Development | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| 2/17 | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| 2/16 | SB 1564 | Amends Requirements for Foreclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 2/16 | SB 1552 | Requirements for Lenders Seeking Foreclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 2/14 | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 2/14 | HF 2274 | Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| 2/06 | S 6087-A | Authorizes the Use of School Property for Religious Meetings and Worship | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 7) |
| 2/01 | HB 574 | Authorizes Government Acquisition of Private Property in State of Emergency | Bill Passed - House (257 - 87) |
| 1/26 | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| 1/25 | Amdt 367s | Restricting Eminent Domain Petitions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
| 1/05 | HB 194 | Authorizes Loaded Rifles and Shotguns in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (204 - 110) |
| 1/04 | HB 334 | Authorizes Weapons on Public Property | Bill Passed - House (180 - 144) |
| 11/01 | AB 69 | Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
| 7/01 | SB 65 | Expansion of Criminal Nuisance Definition | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| 6/30 | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 6/30 | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
| 6/22 | SB 97 | Approval of Rental Prices on Certain Housing | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 9) |
| 6/15 | A 8446 | Extension of Rent Control Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| 6/15 | A 8446 | Extension of Rent Control Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 43) |
| 6/13 | HB 2541 | Amends Inheritance Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 6/09 | S 805 | Senior Tenants' Rent Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 5/23 | SB 368 | Prohibits Discrimination in Housing | Bill Passed - House (29 - 13) |
| 5/10 | SF 522 | Establishing a Property Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (58 - 40) |
| 5/10 | HB 2541 | Amends Inheritance Taxes | Bill Passed - House (34 - 25) |
| 5/06 | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 48) |
| 5/05 | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 10) |
| 5/04 | HJR 381 | Homestead and Property Assessment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 4/25 | SB 368 | Prohibits Discrimination in Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| 4/20 | HB 198 | Eminent Domain Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 4/20 | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 4/18 | HB 1141 | Reduces Business Taxes | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| 4/11 | A 2674 | Rent Regulation | Bill Passed - House (92 - 54) |
| 3/29 | HR 839 | Terminating the Home Affordable Modification Program | Bill Passed - House (252 - 170) |
| 3/16 | HR 861 | Terminating the Neighborhood Stabilization Program | Bill Passed - House (242 - 182) |
| 3/11 | HR 836 | Terminating the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (242 - 177) |