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 31, 2012 CA SB 1525 Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 1506 Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24)
May 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
May 30, 2012 CA SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
May 29, 2012 LA SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4)
May 29, 2012 LA SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4)
May 24, 2012 IL SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13)
May 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
May 22, 2012 LA HB 543 Parole Eligibility for Nonviolent Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 21, 2012 CA SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
May 16, 2012 AL HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
May 14, 2012 LA HB 1072 Tax Incentives for a Franchise of the NBA Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
May 10, 2012 MN HF 2958 Authorizes New Viking Stadium Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 28)
May 10, 2012 OK SB 1733 Authorizes Open Carry of Firearms Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 10)
May 9, 2012 RI S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
May 5, 2012 CT HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
May 3, 2012 CT HB 5312 Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
May 2, 2012 NH HB 536 Repeals License Requirement to Carry a Firearm Bill Tabled - Senate (17 - 7)
May 2, 2012 NH HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
May 2, 2012 CO SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
April 30, 2012 TN SB 3597 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Groups at Public Universities Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
April 28, 2012 MN HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28)
April 28, 2012 MN HF 2795 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
April 27, 2012 CO SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
April 27, 2012 CO SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/31 SB 1525 Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
5/31 SB 1506 Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24)
5/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
5/30 SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
5/29 SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4)
5/29 SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4)
5/24 SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13)
5/24 S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
5/22 HB 543 Parole Eligibility for Nonviolent Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/21 SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
5/16 HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
5/14 HB 1072 Tax Incentives for a Franchise of the NBA Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
5/10 HF 2958 Authorizes New Viking Stadium Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 28)
5/10 SB 1733 Authorizes Open Carry of Firearms Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 10)
5/09 S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
5/05 HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
5/03 HB 5312 Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
5/02 HB 536 Repeals License Requirement to Carry a Firearm Bill Tabled - Senate (17 - 7)
5/02 HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
5/02 SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
4/30 SB 3597 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Groups at Public Universities Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
4/28 HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28)
4/28 HF 2795 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
4/27 SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
4/27 SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)

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