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 4, 2011 FL SB 234 Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm Bill Passed - House (99 - 17)
May 4, 2011 LA HB 52 Increasing New Orleans Traffic Court Costs Bill Failed - House (49 - 22)
April 27, 2011 MT HB 627 Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 35)
April 26, 2011 SC H 3003 Voter ID Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36)
April 26, 2011 GA HB 234 Reduces Sales Taxes for Tourism Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - House (90 - 73)
April 26, 2011 FL HB 353 Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries Bill Passed - House (78 - 38)
April 26, 2011 FL HB 45 Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition Bill Passed - House (85 - 33)
April 21, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40)
April 21, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40)
April 20, 2011 AZ HB 2230 Relating to the 9/11 Memorial Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 20)
April 20, 2011 AZ SB 1610 Official State Gun Bill Passed - House (32 - 25)
April 20, 2011 OR HB 2337 Cougar Hunting Zones Bill Passed - House (45 - 14)
April 18, 2011 ND SB 2042 Gaming Tax Reduction Conference Report Rejected - House (46 - 48)
April 18, 2011 IN SB 292 Prohibits Local Limits on Gun Ownership Bill Passed - House (77 - 21)
April 18, 2011 AZ SB 1406 Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence Bill Passed - House (40 - 19)
April 18, 2011 NV AB 211 Prohibiting Discriminatory Employment Practices Based On Gender or Expression Bill Passed - House (29 - 13)
April 14, 2011 GA HB 87 Immigration Enforcement Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (112 - 59)
April 14, 2011 TN SB 16 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (57 - 35)
April 14, 2011 DE SB 30 Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (26 - 15)
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)
April 13, 2011 IL HB 203 Limit on Sale of Firearms Within a Certain Time Period Bill Failed - House (47 - 68)
April 12, 2011 MT HB 271 Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 29)
April 12, 2011 IL HB 3499 Firearm Waiting Period Exemptions Bill Passed - House (78 - 34)
April 11, 2011 MD SB 167 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 65)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/04 SB 234 Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm Bill Passed - House (99 - 17)
5/04 HB 52 Increasing New Orleans Traffic Court Costs Bill Failed - House (49 - 22)
4/27 HB 627 Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 35)
4/26 H 3003 Voter ID Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36)
4/26 HB 234 Reduces Sales Taxes for Tourism Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - House (90 - 73)
4/26 HB 353 Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries Bill Passed - House (78 - 38)
4/26 HB 45 Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition Bill Passed - House (85 - 33)
4/21 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40)
4/21 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40)
4/20 HB 2230 Relating to the 9/11 Memorial Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 20)
4/20 SB 1610 Official State Gun Bill Passed - House (32 - 25)
4/20 HB 2337 Cougar Hunting Zones Bill Passed - House (45 - 14)
4/18 SB 2042 Gaming Tax Reduction Conference Report Rejected - House (46 - 48)
4/18 SB 292 Prohibits Local Limits on Gun Ownership Bill Passed - House (77 - 21)
4/18 SB 1406 Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence Bill Passed - House (40 - 19)
4/18 AB 211 Prohibiting Discriminatory Employment Practices Based On Gender or Expression Bill Passed - House (29 - 13)
4/14 HB 87 Immigration Enforcement Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (112 - 59)
4/14 SB 16 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (57 - 35)
4/14 SB 30 Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (26 - 15)
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)
4/13 HB 203 Limit on Sale of Firearms Within a Certain Time Period Bill Failed - House (47 - 68)
4/12 HB 271 Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 29)
4/12 HB 3499 Firearm Waiting Period Exemptions Bill Passed - House (78 - 34)
4/11 SB 167 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 65)

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