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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 2, 2011 | WI | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Oct. 25, 2011 | WI | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Oct. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
| Oct. 13, 2011 | MA | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Sept. 13, 2011 | NC | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | NH | SB 88 | Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | NH | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | NH | SB 88 | Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 376 | Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| Aug. 30, 2011 | CA | AB 887 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Transgendered Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| July 14, 2011 | CA | AB 433 | Birth Certificates for Transgendered Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| July 14, 2011 | CA | AB 130 | Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| June 29, 2011 | RI | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| June 29, 2011 | RI | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| June 24, 2011 | NY | A 8354 | Marriage Equality Enactment | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29) |
| June 23, 2011 | DE | SB 129 | Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| June 22, 2011 | NH | HB 329 | Revising Abortion Procedures for Unemancipated Minors | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| June 21, 2011 | LA | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| June 19, 2011 | LA | HB 342 | Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| June 15, 2011 | OH | SB 17 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| June 15, 2011 | TX | SB 9 | Enforcement of Federal and State Immigration Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/02 | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 10/25 | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 10/21 | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
| 10/13 | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 9/13 | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 9/08 | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 9/08 | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 9/07 | SB 88 | Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 9/07 | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17) |
| 9/07 | SB 88 | Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 9/06 | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 9/06 | AB 376 | Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| 8/30 | AB 887 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Transgendered Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 7/14 | AB 433 | Birth Certificates for Transgendered Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 7/14 | AB 130 | Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 6/30 | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 6/29 | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 6/29 | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 6/24 | A 8354 | Marriage Equality Enactment | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29) |
| 6/23 | SB 129 | Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| 6/22 | HB 329 | Revising Abortion Procedures for Unemancipated Minors | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 6/21 | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 6/19 | HB 342 | Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 6/15 | SB 17 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| 6/15 | SB 9 | Enforcement of Federal and State Immigration Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |