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
Jan. 24, 2011 WY SF 47 Firearm Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Jan. 24, 2011 WY HB 74 Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (32 - 27)
Jan. 21, 2011 MT HB 167 Criminalizes Death to an Unborn Child Bill Passed - House (68 - 30)
Jan. 19, 2011 MT SB 112 Authorizes the Use of Hand-Thrown Spears Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
Jan. 18, 2011 MT HB 71 Excludes Undocumented Immigrants from Workers' Compensation Bill Passed - House (60 - 40)
Jan. 18, 2011 MS SB 2179 Restrictions on Employers of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
Dec. 18, 2010 National HR 2965 Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31)
Dec. 15, 2010 National HR 2965 Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175)
Dec. 13, 2010 NJ ACR 151 Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Dec. 8, 2010 National HR 5281 DREAM Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198)
Dec. 8, 2010 National S 3991 Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43)
Dec. 1, 2010 IL SB 1716 Authorizing Civil Unions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24)
Dec. 1, 2010 IL SB 1716 Authorizing Civil Unions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24)
Nov. 30, 2010 IL SB 1716 Authorizing Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (61 - 52)
Nov. 30, 2010 IL SB 1716 Authorizing Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (61 - 52)
Nov. 22, 2010 NJ ACR 151 Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program Resolution Passed - House (48 - 22)
Nov. 15, 2010 PA HB 1926 Amending Self-Protection Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35)
Nov. 15, 2010 PA HB 1926 Amending Self-Protection Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35)
Oct. 14, 2010 PA HB 1926 Amending Self-Protection Laws Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
Oct. 14, 2010 PA HB 1926 Amending Self-Protection Laws Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
Oct. 5, 2010 PA HB 40 Self Defense Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (159 - 38)
Oct. 5, 2010 PA HB 40 Self Defense Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (159 - 38)
Sept. 22, 2010 National HR 3470 Infant Mortality Pilot Programs Bill Passed - House (324 - 64)
Sept. 22, 2010 National HR 3470 Infant Mortality Pilot Programs Bill Passed - House (324 - 64)
Sept. 20, 2010 NJ S 2139 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/24 SF 47 Firearm Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
1/24 HB 74 Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (32 - 27)
1/21 HB 167 Criminalizes Death to an Unborn Child Bill Passed - House (68 - 30)
1/19 SB 112 Authorizes the Use of Hand-Thrown Spears Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
1/18 HB 71 Excludes Undocumented Immigrants from Workers' Compensation Bill Passed - House (60 - 40)
1/18 SB 2179 Restrictions on Employers of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
12/18 HR 2965 Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31)
12/15 HR 2965 Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175)
12/13 ACR 151 Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
12/08 HR 5281 DREAM Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198)
12/08 S 3991 Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43)
12/01 SB 1716 Authorizing Civil Unions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24)
12/01 SB 1716 Authorizing Civil Unions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24)
11/30 SB 1716 Authorizing Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (61 - 52)
11/30 SB 1716 Authorizing Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (61 - 52)
11/22 ACR 151 Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program Resolution Passed - House (48 - 22)
11/15 HB 1926 Amending Self-Protection Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35)
11/15 HB 1926 Amending Self-Protection Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35)
10/14 HB 1926 Amending Self-Protection Laws Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
10/14 HB 1926 Amending Self-Protection Laws Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
10/05 HB 40 Self Defense Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (159 - 38)
10/05 HB 40 Self Defense Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (159 - 38)
9/22 HR 3470 Infant Mortality Pilot Programs Bill Passed - House (324 - 64)
9/22 HR 3470 Infant Mortality Pilot Programs Bill Passed - House (324 - 64)
9/20 S 2139 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 17)

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