Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
Feb. 23, 2012 MD HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
Feb. 23, 2012 MD HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
Feb. 23, 2012 KY SB 151 Authorizes Casinos Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 21)
Feb. 23, 2012 CO SB 147 Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
Feb. 23, 2012 CO SB 147 Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
Feb. 22, 2012 UT SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
Feb. 21, 2012 VA HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 21, 2012 VA HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 21, 2012 WI SB 386 Removes Voter Registration at High Schools Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
Feb. 20, 2012 VA HB 48 Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 20, 2012 VA HB 48 Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 15, 2012 OK SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
Feb. 15, 2012 OK SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
Feb. 14, 2012 ID H 404 Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
Feb. 14, 2012 MI SB 751 Photo Identification Requirements for Absentee Voters Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Feb. 14, 2012 KY SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 14, 2012 KY SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 14, 2012 VA SB 6 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 14, 2012 FL SB 2038 Private Correctional Facilities Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21)
Feb. 14, 2012 MI SB 754 Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Feb. 14, 2012 CO SB 20 Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Feb. 13, 2012 VA HB 940 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Feb. 13, 2012 NM SB 235 Restricting Driver's Licenses for Foreign Nationals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15)
Feb. 13, 2012 NJ S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 9, 2012 VA SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/23 HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
2/23 HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
2/23 SB 151 Authorizes Casinos Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 21)
2/23 SB 147 Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
2/23 SB 147 Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
2/22 SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
2/21 HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/21 HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/21 SB 386 Removes Voter Registration at High Schools Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
2/20 HB 48 Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/20 HB 48 Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/15 SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
2/15 SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
2/14 H 404 Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
2/14 SB 751 Photo Identification Requirements for Absentee Voters Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
2/14 SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/14 SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/14 SB 6 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/14 SB 2038 Private Correctional Facilities Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21)
2/14 SB 754 Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
2/14 SB 20 Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
2/13 HB 940 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
2/13 SB 235 Restricting Driver's Licenses for Foreign Nationals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15)
2/13 S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/09 SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)

arrow_upward