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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Bill Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| Aug. 24, 2012 | CA | AB 1081 | Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 26) |
| Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| Aug. 14, 2012 | MD | SB 1 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - House (71 - 59) |
| July 19, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1416 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166) |
| July 18, 2012 | MA | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - House (139 - 14) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (231 - 112) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (232 - 110) |
| June 21, 2012 | NJ | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - House (41 - 33) |
| June 21, 2012 | NJ | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - House (41 - 33) |
| June 19, 2012 | NY | A 1157B | Requires Firearms to Have Microstamping Technology | Bill Passed - House (85 - 60) |
| June 13, 2012 | OH | HB 495 | Amends Definition of Loaded Gun | Bill Passed - House (59 - 28) |
| June 13, 2012 | PA | HB 2400 | Expands Wiretapping Authority | Bill Passed - House (145 - 52) |
| June 12, 2012 | MI | SB 803 | Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 43) |
| June 12, 2012 | MI | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (66 - 43) |
| June 12, 2012 | DE | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - House (29 - 8) |
| June 7, 2012 | MI | HB 5223 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (71 - 37) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
| June 5, 2012 | NC | SB 582 | Expands Casino Gambling | Bill Passed - House (68 - 49) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 1907 | Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 18) |
| May 31, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1064 | Prohibits Private Security Services in Detention Centers | Bill Failed - House (57 - 58) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 2621 | Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program | Bill Passed - House (68 - 50) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/27 | AB 2109 | Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 29) |
| 8/27 | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Bill Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| 8/24 | AB 1081 | Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 26) |
| 8/22 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| 8/14 | SB 1 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - House (71 - 59) |
| 7/19 | H Amdt 1416 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166) |
| 7/18 | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - House (139 - 14) |
| 6/27 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (231 - 112) |
| 6/27 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (232 - 110) |
| 6/21 | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - House (41 - 33) |
| 6/21 | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - House (41 - 33) |
| 6/19 | A 1157B | Requires Firearms to Have Microstamping Technology | Bill Passed - House (85 - 60) |
| 6/13 | HB 495 | Amends Definition of Loaded Gun | Bill Passed - House (59 - 28) |
| 6/13 | HB 2400 | Expands Wiretapping Authority | Bill Passed - House (145 - 52) |
| 6/12 | SB 803 | Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 43) |
| 6/12 | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (66 - 43) |
| 6/12 | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - House (29 - 8) |
| 6/07 | HB 5223 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (71 - 37) |
| 6/06 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
| 6/06 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
| 6/05 | SB 582 | Expands Casino Gambling | Bill Passed - House (68 - 49) |
| 5/31 | HB 1907 | Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 18) |
| 5/31 | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
| 5/31 | SB 1064 | Prohibits Private Security Services in Detention Centers | Bill Failed - House (57 - 58) |
| 5/31 | SB 2621 | Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program | Bill Passed - House (68 - 50) |