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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2011 | MN | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 27) |
| May 9, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 9, 2011 | TX | SB 1581 | Concealed Handguns on Campus | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| May 5, 2011 | VT | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 10) |
| May 5, 2011 | FL | HB 353 | Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| May 4, 2011 | IL | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 11) |
| April 28, 2011 | MT | HB 271 | Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| April 28, 2011 | MO | HB 73 | Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| April 28, 2011 | FL | HB 45 | Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8) |
| April 28, 2011 | FL | SB 234 | Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| April 26, 2011 | MT | HB 627 | Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| April 25, 2011 | NV | SB 368 | Prohibits Discrimination in Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| April 25, 2011 | NV | SB 180 | Criminal and Civil Liability for Gender Identity Crimes | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11) |
| April 25, 2011 | NV | SB 331 | Prohibits Sex and Gender Identity Discrimination in Places of Public Accommodation | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| April 25, 2011 | NV | SB 180 | Criminal and Civil Liability for Gender Identity Crimes | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11) |
| April 21, 2011 | WA | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| April 21, 2011 | WA | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| April 21, 2011 | AL | SB 256 | Undocumented Immigrant Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate |
| April 20, 2011 | WA | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| April 20, 2011 | WA | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| April 20, 2011 | IA | SF 526 | Requires a Study to Weigh Outcomes of Authorizing Online Poker in Iowa | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| April 19, 2011 | AZ | SB 1406 | Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| April 19, 2011 | AZ | HB 2230 | Relating to the 9/11 Memorial | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| April 18, 2011 | CO | SB 126 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| April 14, 2011 | GA | HB 87 | Immigration Enforcement Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 19) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/11 | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 27) |
| 5/09 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 5/09 | SB 1581 | Concealed Handguns on Campus | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 5/05 | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 10) |
| 5/05 | HB 353 | Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 5/04 | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 11) |
| 4/28 | HB 271 | Authorizes Concealed-Carry Without a Permit | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 4/28 | HB 73 | Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| 4/28 | HB 45 | Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8) |
| 4/28 | SB 234 | Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 4/26 | HB 627 | Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 4/25 | SB 368 | Prohibits Discrimination in Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| 4/25 | SB 180 | Criminal and Civil Liability for Gender Identity Crimes | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11) |
| 4/25 | SB 331 | Prohibits Sex and Gender Identity Discrimination in Places of Public Accommodation | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 4/25 | SB 180 | Criminal and Civil Liability for Gender Identity Crimes | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11) |
| 4/21 | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 4/21 | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 4/21 | SB 256 | Undocumented Immigrant Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate |
| 4/20 | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 4/20 | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 4/20 | SF 526 | Requires a Study to Weigh Outcomes of Authorizing Online Poker in Iowa | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| 4/19 | SB 1406 | Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 4/19 | HB 2230 | Relating to the 9/11 Memorial | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 4/18 | SB 126 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 4/14 | HB 87 | Immigration Enforcement Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 19) |