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
Feb. 9, 2012 VA SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 8, 2012 KY SB 102 Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Feb. 7, 2012 UT SB 128 Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
Feb. 7, 2012 UT SB 128 Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
Feb. 7, 2012 OR SB 1510 Establishes Marine Reserves Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
Feb. 6, 2012 VA SB 323 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Feb. 6, 2012 NY S 6087-A Authorizes the Use of School Property for Religious Meetings and Worship Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 7)
Feb. 6, 2012 VA SB 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Feb. 1, 2012 WA SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
Feb. 1, 2012 FL SB 98 Authorizes Student-Led Prayer in School Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
Jan. 31, 2012 NY S 5560-A Requires DNA Testing of All Persons Convicted of Certain Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10)
Jan. 31, 2012 IN SB 89 Authorizes the Instruction of Origin of Life Theories from Multiple Religions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
Jan. 30, 2012 SD HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Jan. 30, 2012 SD HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Jan. 26, 2012 VA SB 464 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
Jan. 26, 2012 VA SB 464 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ S 958 Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
Dec. 15, 2011 National HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13)
Dec. 7, 2011 MI HB 4770 Prohibits Public Employers from Providing Medical Benefits to Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1126 Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1125 Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Nov. 29, 2011 National S Amdt 1107 Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60)
Nov. 2, 2011 WI SB 237 Amending Sexual Education Guidelines Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/09 SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/08 SB 102 Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
2/07 SB 128 Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
2/07 SB 128 Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
2/07 SB 1510 Establishes Marine Reserves Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
2/06 SB 323 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
2/06 S 6087-A Authorizes the Use of School Property for Religious Meetings and Worship Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 7)
2/06 SB 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
2/01 SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
2/01 SB 98 Authorizes Student-Led Prayer in School Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
1/31 S 5560-A Requires DNA Testing of All Persons Convicted of Certain Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10)
1/31 SB 89 Authorizes the Instruction of Origin of Life Theories from Multiple Religions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
1/30 HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
1/30 HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
1/26 SB 464 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
1/26 SB 464 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
1/09 S 958 Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
12/15 HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13)
12/07 HB 4770 Prohibits Public Employers from Providing Medical Benefits to Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
12/01 S Amdt 1126 Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
12/01 S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
12/01 S Amdt 1125 Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
11/29 S Amdt 1107 Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60)
11/02 SB 237 Amending Sexual Education Guidelines Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)

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