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
March 12, 2014 OK SB 1848 Amends Standards for Abortion Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
April 5, 2013 KS SB 199 Establishes the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 8)
March 25, 2013 SD SB 115 Increases Commercial Fertilizer Inspection Fee Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 13)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
May 21, 2012 CA SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
March 19, 2012 TN HB 368 Scientific Theories in the Classroom Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
Feb. 27, 2012 SD HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Oct. 26, 2011 CT SB 1401 Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Feb. 22, 2011 IN SB 192 Authorizing a Study of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
April 29, 2010 AZ SB 1307 Treatment of Human Embryos Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
March 1, 2010 AZ SCR 1044 Prohibiting Human Cloning Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
Feb. 26, 2010 ID S 1353 Authorizing Health Care Professionals to Refuse Specific Health Care Services Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
April 23, 2009 OK HB 1326 Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 19)
March 12, 2009 GA SB 169 In Vitro Embryo Creation Limitations Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 22)
Feb. 23, 2009 SD SB 195 Stem Cell Research Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20)
Feb. 19, 2009 NM SB 77 Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14)
June 12, 2008 MA H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
April 23, 2008 FL SB 2692 Science Curriculum Flexibility Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
April 8, 2008 CO HB 1001 Expanding Bioscience Research Funding Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
March 14, 2008 MD SB 90 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
March 6, 2008 MN HF 380 Capital Improvements Budget Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9)
Feb. 27, 2008 SD HB 1085 Constructing Science Facilities at Universities Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
Jan. 29, 2008 NM SB 23 Authorizing Stem Cell Research Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
Jan. 29, 2008 NM SB 23 Authorizing Stem Cell Research Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
Oct. 16, 2007 National HR 3093 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/12 SB 1848 Amends Standards for Abortion Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
4/05 SB 199 Establishes the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 8)
3/25 SB 115 Increases Commercial Fertilizer Inspection Fee Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 13)
8/27 SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
5/21 SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
3/19 HB 368 Scientific Theories in the Classroom Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
2/27 HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
10/26 SB 1401 Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
2/22 SB 192 Authorizing a Study of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
4/29 SB 1307 Treatment of Human Embryos Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
3/01 SCR 1044 Prohibiting Human Cloning Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
2/26 S 1353 Authorizing Health Care Professionals to Refuse Specific Health Care Services Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
4/23 HB 1326 Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 19)
3/12 SB 169 In Vitro Embryo Creation Limitations Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 22)
2/23 SB 195 Stem Cell Research Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20)
2/19 SB 77 Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14)
6/12 H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
4/23 SB 2692 Science Curriculum Flexibility Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
4/08 HB 1001 Expanding Bioscience Research Funding Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
3/14 SB 90 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
3/06 HF 380 Capital Improvements Budget Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9)
2/27 HB 1085 Constructing Science Facilities at Universities Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
1/29 SB 23 Authorizing Stem Cell Research Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
1/29 SB 23 Authorizing Stem Cell Research Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
10/16 HR 3093 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19)

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