Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 26, 2012 GA HB 954 Prohibits Abortions after 20 Weeks Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 19)
March 26, 2012 VA Saslaw Amdt Requires Reimbursement of the Full Cost of Ultrasounds Required Prior to Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 20)
March 19, 2012 ID S 1387 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 460 Exempts Religious Employers from Insurance Requirements for Coverage of Contraception Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 438 Prohibits State Employee Insurance Coverage of Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 18)
March 6, 2012 UT HB 363 Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
March 6, 2012 OK SB 1274 Requires physicians inform abortion patients of fetal heartbeat Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
March 6, 2012 AZ SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
Feb. 28, 2012 VA HB 462 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Feb. 22, 2012 WI SB 306 Requires Physicians Performing Abortions to Determine if the Woman's Consent is Voluntary Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Feb. 15, 2012 OK SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
Feb. 15, 2012 OK SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
Feb. 14, 2012 KY SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 14, 2012 KY SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 8, 2012 KY SB 102 Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Feb. 8, 2012 KY SB 102 Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Feb. 1, 2012 VA SB 484 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Nov. 2, 2011 WI SB 237 Amending Sexual Education Guidelines Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Oct. 20, 2011 WI SB 92 Prohibits Abortion Coverage through Healthcare Insurance Exchanges Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
Sept. 28, 2011 MI SB 160 Bans Partial Birth/Late-Term Abortions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Sept. 21, 2011 MI SB 160 Bans Partial Birth/Late-Term Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
July 13, 2011 OH HB 78 Restrictions on Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
June 30, 2011 IA HF 649 Appropriations for Health and Human Services Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 18)
June 22, 2011 NH HB 329 Revising Abortion Procedures for Unemancipated Minors Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
June 15, 2011 NC HB 854 Abortion Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/26 HB 954 Prohibits Abortions after 20 Weeks Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 19)
3/26 Saslaw Amdt Requires Reimbursement of the Full Cost of Ultrasounds Required Prior to Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 20)
3/19 S 1387 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
3/07 SB 460 Exempts Religious Employers from Insurance Requirements for Coverage of Contraception Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
3/07 SB 438 Prohibits State Employee Insurance Coverage of Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 18)
3/06 HB 363 Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
3/06 SB 1274 Requires physicians inform abortion patients of fetal heartbeat Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
3/06 SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
2/28 HB 462 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
2/22 SB 306 Requires Physicians Performing Abortions to Determine if the Woman's Consent is Voluntary Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
2/15 SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
2/15 SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
2/14 SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/14 SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/08 SB 102 Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
2/08 SB 102 Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
2/01 SB 484 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
11/02 SB 237 Amending Sexual Education Guidelines Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
10/20 SB 92 Prohibits Abortion Coverage through Healthcare Insurance Exchanges Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
9/28 SB 160 Bans Partial Birth/Late-Term Abortions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
9/21 SB 160 Bans Partial Birth/Late-Term Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
7/13 HB 78 Restrictions on Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
6/30 HF 649 Appropriations for Health and Human Services Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 18)
6/22 HB 329 Revising Abortion Procedures for Unemancipated Minors Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
6/15 HB 854 Abortion Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)

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