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
Sept. 8, 2011 CA ABX1 40 State Tax Code Restructuring Bill Passed - House (54 - 15)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA AB 1319 Prohibiting the Use of BPA in Baby Products Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 27)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Bill Passed - House (52 - 26)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Sept. 1, 2011 CA SB 185 Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Sept. 1, 2011 CA SB 469 Requirements for Expansion by Large Retailers Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
Aug. 30, 2011 CA AB 1319 Prohibiting the Use of BPA in Baby Products Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Aug. 29, 2011 CA SB 185 Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
July 13, 2011 NC SB 727 No Dues Checkoff for School Employees Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
June 30, 2011 MI SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
June 23, 2011 National HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (304 - 117)
June 23, 2011 DE HB 100 Background Checks for Contractors on School Premises Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 5)
June 23, 2011 NJ S 2937 Pension and Health Care Benefits for Public Employees Bill Passed - House (46 - 32)
June 22, 2011 NH HB 2 Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 119)
June 22, 2011 NH HB 2 Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 119)
June 22, 2011 NH HB 2 Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5)
June 22, 2011 NH HB 2 Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5)
June 20, 2011 NY A 6698A Freelance Wage Protection Bill Passed - House (84 - 58)
June 20, 2011 NJ S 2937 Pension and Health Care Benefits for Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
June 19, 2011 LA HB 342 Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
June 16, 2011 TX SB 8 Management and Operation of Public Schools Bill Passed - House (81 - 55)
June 9, 2011 National S Amdt 390 Amending Small Business Regulations Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46)
June 8, 2011 National S Amdt 392 Debit Card Transactions Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45)
June 6, 2011 TX SB 8 Management and Operation of Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
June 2, 2011 CA AB 889 Establishes Work Condition Requirements for Domestic Work Employees Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/08 ABX1 40 State Tax Code Restructuring Bill Passed - House (54 - 15)
9/06 AB 1319 Prohibiting the Use of BPA in Baby Products Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 27)
9/06 SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Bill Passed - House (52 - 26)
9/06 AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
9/01 SB 185 Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
9/01 SB 469 Requirements for Expansion by Large Retailers Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
8/30 AB 1319 Prohibiting the Use of BPA in Baby Products Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
8/29 SB 185 Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
7/13 SB 727 No Dues Checkoff for School Employees Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
6/30 SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
6/23 HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (304 - 117)
6/23 HB 100 Background Checks for Contractors on School Premises Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 5)
6/23 S 2937 Pension and Health Care Benefits for Public Employees Bill Passed - House (46 - 32)
6/22 HB 2 Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 119)
6/22 HB 2 Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 119)
6/22 HB 2 Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5)
6/22 HB 2 Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5)
6/20 A 6698A Freelance Wage Protection Bill Passed - House (84 - 58)
6/20 S 2937 Pension and Health Care Benefits for Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
6/19 HB 342 Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
6/16 SB 8 Management and Operation of Public Schools Bill Passed - House (81 - 55)
6/09 S Amdt 390 Amending Small Business Regulations Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46)
6/08 S Amdt 392 Debit Card Transactions Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45)
6/06 SB 8 Management and Operation of Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
6/02 AB 889 Establishes Work Condition Requirements for Domestic Work Employees Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)

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