Key Votes

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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 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
May 21, 2012 CA SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
April 28, 2012 MN HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28)
April 28, 2012 MN HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62)
April 11, 2012 AZ HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15)
April 5, 2012 AZ HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
March 28, 2012 ID S 1256 Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
March 26, 2012 ID H 542 Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
March 22, 2012 ID S 1256 Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags Bill Passed - House (38 - 29)
March 15, 2012 ID H 542 Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land Bill Passed - House (48 - 21)
March 5, 2012 GA HB 717 Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault Bill Failed - House (82 - 73)
Feb. 29, 2012 National HR 1837 Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Bill Passed - House (246 - 175)
Feb. 24, 2012 ID S 1256 Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
Feb. 7, 2012 OR SB 1510 Establishes Marine Reserves Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA AB 376 Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
July 27, 2011 National H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
June 23, 2011 DE SB 129 Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7)
April 20, 2011 WA SB 5622 Recreation Access on State Lands Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
April 20, 2011 OR HB 2337 Cougar Hunting Zones Bill Passed - House (45 - 14)
April 14, 2011 AL HB 126 Extending Forever Wild Land Trust Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
April 13, 2011 MO SB 113 Regulating Animal Care Facilities Bill Passed - House (85 - 71)
March 23, 2011 IA SF 464 Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves Bill Passed - House (58 - 39)
March 22, 2011 IA SF 464 Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
March 10, 2011 MO SB 113 Regulating Animal Care Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Jan. 27, 2011 WY SF 100 Cruelty to Animals Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/24 S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
5/21 SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
4/28 HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28)
4/28 HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62)
4/11 HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15)
4/05 HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
3/28 S 1256 Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
3/26 H 542 Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
3/22 S 1256 Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags Bill Passed - House (38 - 29)
3/15 H 542 Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land Bill Passed - House (48 - 21)
3/05 HB 717 Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault Bill Failed - House (82 - 73)
2/29 HR 1837 Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Bill Passed - House (246 - 175)
2/24 S 1256 Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
2/07 SB 1510 Establishes Marine Reserves Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
9/06 AB 376 Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
7/27 H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
6/23 SB 129 Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7)
4/20 SB 5622 Recreation Access on State Lands Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
4/20 HB 2337 Cougar Hunting Zones Bill Passed - House (45 - 14)
4/14 HB 126 Extending Forever Wild Land Trust Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
4/13 SB 113 Regulating Animal Care Facilities Bill Passed - House (85 - 71)
3/23 SF 464 Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves Bill Passed - House (58 - 39)
3/22 SF 464 Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
3/10 SB 113 Regulating Animal Care Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
1/27 SF 100 Cruelty to Animals Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)

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