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
Feb. 14, 2012 VA SB 438 Amends Teacher Contracts Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20)
Feb. 13, 2012 NM SB 9 Changes Corporate Income Tax Rates and Filing Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
Feb. 13, 2012 CO HB 1088 Authorizes the Use of Deadly Force Against Intruders in a Place of Business Bill Passed - House (35 - 26)
Feb. 13, 2012 SD HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - House (41 - 28)
Feb. 13, 2012 VA HB 576 Amends Teacher Contract and Evaluation Policies Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
Feb. 9, 2012 MO HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - House (89 - 68)
Feb. 8, 2012 MO SB 592 Limits Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
Jan. 31, 2012 IN HB 1149 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places Bill Passed - House (62 - 34)
Jan. 25, 2012 IN HB 1001 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join a Labor Organization Bill Passed - House (54 - 44)
Jan. 23, 2012 IN SB 170 Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest in Local Government Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
Jan. 23, 2012 IN SB 269 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
Jan. 23, 2012 IN SB 170 Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest in Local Government Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
Jan. 23, 2012 IN SB 269 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ S 3172 Authorizes Direct Shipping By Local and Out-of-State Wineries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ S 3172 Authorizes Direct Shipping By Local and Out-of-State Wineries Bill Passed - House (51 - 18)
Jan. 5, 2012 NC SB 727 No Dues Checkoff for School Employees Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 45)
Jan. 5, 2012 NH HB 383 Prohibits State Employees From Being Requied to Pay Association Fees Bill Passed - House (212 - 128)
Dec. 7, 2011 National HR 10 Congressional Approval of Regulations Bill Passed - House (241 - 184)
Dec. 2, 2011 National HR 3010 Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies Bill Passed - House (253 - 167)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S 1917 Extends Payroll Tax Cut and Establishes Tax on Income Over $1 Million Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S 1931 Reduces Payroll Tax Rate Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78)
Dec. 1, 2011 National HR 527 Increases Requirements for Agencies that Promulgate Regulations Affecting Small Businesses Bill Passed - House (263 - 159)
Nov. 29, 2011 IL HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments Concurrence Vote Failed - House (8 - 99)
Nov. 29, 2011 IL HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18)
Nov. 17, 2011 RI H 6319 Amending the Pension System Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/14 SB 438 Amends Teacher Contracts Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20)
2/13 SB 9 Changes Corporate Income Tax Rates and Filing Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
2/13 HB 1088 Authorizes the Use of Deadly Force Against Intruders in a Place of Business Bill Passed - House (35 - 26)
2/13 HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - House (41 - 28)
2/13 HB 576 Amends Teacher Contract and Evaluation Policies Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
2/09 HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - House (89 - 68)
2/08 SB 592 Limits Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
1/31 HB 1149 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places Bill Passed - House (62 - 34)
1/25 HB 1001 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join a Labor Organization Bill Passed - House (54 - 44)
1/23 SB 170 Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest in Local Government Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
1/23 SB 269 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
1/23 SB 170 Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest in Local Government Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
1/23 SB 269 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
1/09 S 3172 Authorizes Direct Shipping By Local and Out-of-State Wineries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
1/09 S 3172 Authorizes Direct Shipping By Local and Out-of-State Wineries Bill Passed - House (51 - 18)
1/05 SB 727 No Dues Checkoff for School Employees Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 45)
1/05 HB 383 Prohibits State Employees From Being Requied to Pay Association Fees Bill Passed - House (212 - 128)
12/07 HR 10 Congressional Approval of Regulations Bill Passed - House (241 - 184)
12/02 HR 3010 Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies Bill Passed - House (253 - 167)
12/01 S 1917 Extends Payroll Tax Cut and Establishes Tax on Income Over $1 Million Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49)
12/01 S 1931 Reduces Payroll Tax Rate Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78)
12/01 HR 527 Increases Requirements for Agencies that Promulgate Regulations Affecting Small Businesses Bill Passed - House (263 - 159)
11/29 HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments Concurrence Vote Failed - House (8 - 99)
11/29 HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18)
11/17 H 6319 Amending the Pension System Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)

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