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 15, 2012 | LA | HB 380 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (65 - 26) |
| April 25, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 804.1 | Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards | Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33) |
| April 10, 2012 | AL | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (56 - 47) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 60) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 56) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 1658 | Establishes a Verification System to Detect Welfare Fraud | Bill Passed - House (245 - 84) |
| March 7, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (114 - 59) |
| March 1, 2012 | UT | HB 155 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (62 - 10) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (39 - 17) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | WY | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | KS | HB 2638 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits and Unemployment Insurance Contributions | Bill Passed - House (85 - 39) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | MI | HB 5033 | Requires Asset Tests to Determine Eligibility for State Assistance Programs | Bill Passed - House (67 - 39) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | IN | HB 1007 | Requires Drug Testing for TANF Applicants | Bill Passed - House (73 - 23) |
| Dec. 20, 2011 | National | HR 3630 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| Dec. 13, 2011 | National | HR 3630 | Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (234 - 193) |
| Oct. 12, 2011 | NH | SB 198 | Amends Eligibility Requirements for TANF | Bill Passed - House (237 - 126) |
| Sept. 2, 2011 | CA | AB 6 | Repeals Fingerprinting Requirement for CalFresh Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (130 - 66) |
| June 9, 2011 | TX | SB 7 | Health Care | Bill Passed - House (89 - 41) |
| May 17, 2011 | TX | SB 420 | Eligibility for Indigent Health Care | Bill Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| May 17, 2011 | LA | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (67 - 26) |
| May 10, 2011 | MO | HB 73 | Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 34) |
| May 6, 2011 | FL | HB 7107 | Medicaid Managed Care Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/15 | HB 380 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (65 - 26) |
| 4/25 | H Amdt 804.1 | Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards | Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33) |
| 4/10 | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (56 - 47) |
| 3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 60) |
| 3/29 | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 56) |
| 3/28 | HB 1658 | Establishes a Verification System to Detect Welfare Fraud | Bill Passed - House (245 - 84) |
| 3/07 | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (114 - 59) |
| 3/01 | HB 155 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (62 - 10) |
| 3/01 | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (39 - 17) |
| 2/29 | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| 2/27 | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| 2/23 | HB 2638 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits and Unemployment Insurance Contributions | Bill Passed - House (85 - 39) |
| 2/21 | HB 5033 | Requires Asset Tests to Determine Eligibility for State Assistance Programs | Bill Passed - House (67 - 39) |
| 2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| 1/31 | HB 1007 | Requires Drug Testing for TANF Applicants | Bill Passed - House (73 - 23) |
| 12/20 | HR 3630 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| 12/13 | HR 3630 | Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (234 - 193) |
| 10/12 | SB 198 | Amends Eligibility Requirements for TANF | Bill Passed - House (237 - 126) |
| 9/02 | AB 6 | Repeals Fingerprinting Requirement for CalFresh Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| 6/30 | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (130 - 66) |
| 6/09 | SB 7 | Health Care | Bill Passed - House (89 - 41) |
| 5/17 | SB 420 | Eligibility for Indigent Health Care | Bill Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| 5/17 | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (67 - 26) |
| 5/10 | HB 73 | Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 34) |
| 5/06 | HB 7107 | Medicaid Managed Care Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39) |