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. 28, 2012 | IA | HF 589 | Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 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) |
| Oct. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 791 | Limits Farm Subsidies to Individuals with Incomes Under $1 million | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 15) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 642 | Modifies Eligibility Requirements for Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 57) |
| July 14, 2011 | CA | SB 39 | Bans Caffeinated Alcohol Drinks | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 25, 2011 | WA | SB 5942 | State Liquor Sales | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| May 6, 2011 | CO | HB 1005 | Repeals Taxes on Agricultural Products | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| March 31, 2011 | CA | SB 104 | Labor Representatives | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| March 30, 2011 | MD | SB 994 | Increases Sales Tax on Alcoholic Beverages | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| March 23, 2011 | IA | HF 617 | Alcoholic Beverage Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 16, 2011 | GA | SB 10 | Alcoholic Beverage Sales on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | UT | SB 270 | Modifications to Sales and Use Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| Nov. 30, 2010 | National | S 510 | FDA Food Safety Modernization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25) |
| June 16, 2010 | MI | SR 158 | Oil Spill Prevention Plans for Dairy Farmers | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| April 15, 2010 | WI | SB 434 | Legalizing Sale of Unpasteurized Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1195 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Nov. 4, 2009 | CA | SBx7 7 | Statewide Water Conservation Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Nov. 4, 2009 | CA | SBx7 6 | Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Nov. 4, 2009 | CA | SBx7 2 | Water Investment Bond Measure | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| Nov. 4, 2009 | CA | SBx7 1 | Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Water Management Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| Nov. 4, 2009 | CA | SBx7 8 | Water Diversion Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 3) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/28 | HF 589 | Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10) |
| 2/27 | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 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) |
| 10/21 | S Amdt 791 | Limits Farm Subsidies to Individuals with Incomes Under $1 million | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 15) |
| 9/21 | S Amdt 642 | Modifies Eligibility Requirements for Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 57) |
| 7/14 | SB 39 | Bans Caffeinated Alcohol Drinks | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/25 | SB 5942 | State Liquor Sales | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| 5/06 | HB 1005 | Repeals Taxes on Agricultural Products | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| 3/31 | SB 104 | Labor Representatives | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 3/30 | SB 994 | Increases Sales Tax on Alcoholic Beverages | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 3/23 | HF 617 | Alcoholic Beverage Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 3/16 | SB 10 | Alcoholic Beverage Sales on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| 2/28 | SB 270 | Modifications to Sales and Use Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 11/30 | S 510 | FDA Food Safety Modernization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25) |
| 6/16 | SR 158 | Oil Spill Prevention Plans for Dairy Farmers | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 6/03 | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 4/15 | SB 434 | Legalizing Sale of Unpasteurized Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 2/10 | HB 1195 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 11/04 | SBx7 7 | Statewide Water Conservation Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 11/04 | SBx7 6 | Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 11/04 | SBx7 2 | Water Investment Bond Measure | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 11/04 | SBx7 1 | Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Water Management Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 11/04 | SBx7 8 | Water Diversion Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 3) |