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) |
| April 27, 2011 | IN | HB 1210 | Repealing Medicaid Funding for Planned Parenthood | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| April 14, 2011 | NC | HB 383 | Relating to Unemployment Insurance Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 49) |
| April 11, 2011 | NY | A 2674 | Rent Regulation | Bill Passed - House (92 - 54) |
| April 5, 2011 | SC | S 434 | Prohibiting DHHS From Reducing Provider Rates | Joint Resolution Passed - House (63 - 44) |
| March 23, 2011 | MI | HB 4408 | Employment Compensation Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 44) |
| March 17, 2011 | ID | H 260 | Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - House (56 - 14) |
| March 2, 2011 | ID | H 109 | Extends Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | ND | HB 1377 | Children's Health Insurance Program | Bill Failed - House (25 - 67) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | MT | HB 30 | Health Care Sharing Ministries | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | WY | HB 244 | Unemployment Insurance Amendments | Bill Failed - House (25 - 34) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | SD | HB 1152 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - House (32 - 36) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | UT | HB 211 | Community Service Medicaid Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| Jan. 31, 2011 | IN | HB 1450 | Unemployment Insurance Amendments | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| Jan. 20, 2011 | AZ | SB 1001 | Request for Medicaid Waiver | Bill Passed - House (40 - 20) |
| Dec. 13, 2010 | NJ | S 1 | Low-Income Housing Amendments and Abolishing the Council on Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| Nov. 18, 2010 | National | HR 6419 | Extension of Certain Unemployment Benefits | Bill Failed - House (258 - 154) |
| July 22, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152) |
| July 1, 2010 | National | HR 5618 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Bill Passed - House (270 - 153) |
| May 28, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (215 - 204) |
| May 13, 2010 | CA | AB 1756 | Food Stamps for Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| April 29, 2010 | MO | HB 2011 | 2010-2011 Department of Social Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 63) |
| April 28, 2010 | MA | Sánchez Amdt | Sending Public Benefits Amendment to Study | Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 75) |
| April 28, 2010 | LA | HB 617 | Expanding Drug Testing Requirements for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (61 - 27) |
| April 21, 2010 | VA | Amdt 28 | Reducing Funding for Comprehensive Services for At Risk Youth and Families | Amendment Rejected - House (25 - 69) |
| April 20, 2010 | WI | SB 484 | BadgerCare Plus Basic Health Plan | Bill Passed - House (50 - 47) |
| 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) |
| 4/27 | HB 1210 | Repealing Medicaid Funding for Planned Parenthood | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| 4/14 | HB 383 | Relating to Unemployment Insurance Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 49) |
| 4/11 | A 2674 | Rent Regulation | Bill Passed - House (92 - 54) |
| 4/05 | S 434 | Prohibiting DHHS From Reducing Provider Rates | Joint Resolution Passed - House (63 - 44) |
| 3/23 | HB 4408 | Employment Compensation Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 44) |
| 3/17 | H 260 | Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - House (56 - 14) |
| 3/02 | H 109 | Extends Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| 2/08 | HB 1377 | Children's Health Insurance Program | Bill Failed - House (25 - 67) |
| 2/08 | HB 30 | Health Care Sharing Ministries | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| 2/07 | HB 244 | Unemployment Insurance Amendments | Bill Failed - House (25 - 34) |
| 2/07 | HB 1152 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - House (32 - 36) |
| 2/02 | HB 211 | Community Service Medicaid Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| 1/31 | HB 1450 | Unemployment Insurance Amendments | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| 1/20 | SB 1001 | Request for Medicaid Waiver | Bill Passed - House (40 - 20) |
| 12/13 | S 1 | Low-Income Housing Amendments and Abolishing the Council on Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| 11/18 | HR 6419 | Extension of Certain Unemployment Benefits | Bill Failed - House (258 - 154) |
| 7/22 | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152) |
| 7/01 | HR 5618 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Bill Passed - House (270 - 153) |
| 5/28 | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (215 - 204) |
| 5/13 | AB 1756 | Food Stamps for Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| 4/29 | HB 2011 | 2010-2011 Department of Social Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 63) |
| 4/28 | Sánchez Amdt | Sending Public Benefits Amendment to Study | Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 75) |
| 4/28 | HB 617 | Expanding Drug Testing Requirements for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (61 - 27) |
| 4/21 | Amdt 28 | Reducing Funding for Comprehensive Services for At Risk Youth and Families | Amendment Rejected - House (25 - 69) |
| 4/20 | SB 484 | BadgerCare Plus Basic Health Plan | Bill Passed - House (50 - 47) |