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
Dec. 4, 2012 IL SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
Dec. 4, 2012 National Treaty Doc. 112-7 The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Treaty Ratification Failed - Senate (61 - 38)
Nov. 30, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3018 Prohibits the Indefinite Detention of Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
Nov. 28, 2012 National S Amdt 2955 Expands the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program Amendment Adopted - Senate (85 - 11)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Oct. 17, 2012 PA SB 850 Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Oct. 17, 2012 PA SB 941 Increases Penalties for Public Intoxication Bill Passed - House (104 - 87)
Sept. 20, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
Sept. 12, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (301 - 118)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
Aug. 28, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 29)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 29)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA AB 2327 Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 18)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA AB 1640 Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 26)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA AB 2109 Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 29)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA AB 2348 Authorizes Registered Nurses to Dispense Contraceptives Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 28)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA AB 472 Authorizes Immunity for Reporting Drug Overdoses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 24)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Bill Passed - House (52 - 27)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/04 SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
12/04 Treaty Doc. 112-7 The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Treaty Ratification Failed - Senate (61 - 38)
11/30 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
11/29 S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
11/29 S Amdt 3018 Prohibits the Indefinite Detention of Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
11/28 S Amdt 2955 Expands the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program Amendment Adopted - Senate (85 - 11)
10/25 S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
10/17 SB 850 Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
10/17 SB 941 Increases Penalties for Public Intoxication Bill Passed - House (104 - 87)
9/20 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
9/12 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (301 - 118)
8/30 AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21)
8/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/29 SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
8/29 AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
8/28 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
8/27 SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
8/27 AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 29)
8/27 AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 29)
8/27 AB 2327 Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 18)
8/27 AB 1640 Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 26)
8/27 AB 2109 Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 29)
8/27 AB 2348 Authorizes Registered Nurses to Dispense Contraceptives Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 28)
8/27 AB 472 Authorizes Immunity for Reporting Drug Overdoses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 24)
8/27 SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Bill Passed - House (52 - 27)

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