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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 1, 2012 | VA | SB 484 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | UT | SB 32 | Breast Cancer Screening | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| Nov. 2, 2011 | WI | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | SB 222 | Relating to Individual Health Care Coverage for Maternity Services | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 23, 2011 | NJ | S 2899 | Medicaid Coverage for Family Planning Services | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| April 7, 2011 | ND | HB 1450 | Definition of Human Being | Bill Not Tabled - Senate (26 - 21) |
| April 5, 2011 | RI | S 87 | Establishing the Rhode Island Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| March 3, 2011 | NJ | S 1216 | Loans for Women and Minority-Owned Businesses | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | TX | SB 16 | Abortion Procedures Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| Jan. 27, 2011 | AR | SB 113 | Prohibit Abortion Health Care Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| Nov. 17, 2010 | National | S 3772 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41) |
| Sept. 20, 2010 | NJ | S 2139 | 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Aug. 25, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Aug. 25, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| June 28, 2010 | NJ | S 2139 | 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10) |
| June 14, 2010 | LA | HB 1247 | Prohibiting Insurance Coverage of Elective Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3) |
| May 25, 2010 | OK | HB 3284 | Requiring Women Seeking Abortions to Answer Questionnaire | Veto Override Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| May 18, 2010 | LA | SB 528 | Requiring an Ultrasound for an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| April 28, 2010 | FL | Amdt 841564 | Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirement | Amendment Adopted - Senate (22 - 17) |
| April 27, 2010 | OK | HB 2656 | Abortion Regulation Modifications | Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| April 22, 2010 | CO | HB 1021 | Health Insurance Policy Coverage For Reproductive Services | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
| April 12, 2010 | NE | LB 594 | Abortion Screening Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
| April 12, 2010 | NE | LB 1103 | Prohibiting Abortions After 20 Weeks of Pregnancy | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| March 30, 2010 | KS | HB 2115 | Late-Term/Partial Birth Abortion Reporting Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/01 | SB 484 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 1/31 | SB 32 | Breast Cancer Screening | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| 11/02 | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 9/08 | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 9/08 | SB 222 | Relating to Individual Health Care Coverage for Maternity Services | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/23 | S 2899 | Medicaid Coverage for Family Planning Services | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 4/07 | HB 1450 | Definition of Human Being | Bill Not Tabled - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 4/05 | S 87 | Establishing the Rhode Island Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 3/03 | S 1216 | Loans for Women and Minority-Owned Businesses | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 2/17 | SB 16 | Abortion Procedures Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 1/27 | SB 113 | Prohibit Abortion Health Care Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 11/17 | S 3772 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41) |
| 9/20 | S 2139 | 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 8/25 | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 8/25 | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 6/28 | S 2139 | 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10) |
| 6/14 | HB 1247 | Prohibiting Insurance Coverage of Elective Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3) |
| 5/25 | HB 3284 | Requiring Women Seeking Abortions to Answer Questionnaire | Veto Override Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| 5/18 | SB 528 | Requiring an Ultrasound for an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| 4/28 | Amdt 841564 | Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirement | Amendment Adopted - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 4/27 | HB 2656 | Abortion Regulation Modifications | Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 4/22 | HB 1021 | Health Insurance Policy Coverage For Reproductive Services | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 4/12 | LB 594 | Abortion Screening Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
| 4/12 | LB 1103 | Prohibiting Abortions After 20 Weeks of Pregnancy | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| 3/30 | HB 2115 | Late-Term/Partial Birth Abortion Reporting Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 15) |