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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 6, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
| May 31, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| May 24, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| May 18, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1127 | Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238) |
| April 30, 2012 | CT | HB 5024 | Authorizes Election Day Registration | Bill Passed - House (83 - 59) |
| April 26, 2012 | MS | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39) |
| April 19, 2012 | AZ | SB 1182 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 22) |
| April 4, 2012 | CT | HJ 2 | Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason | Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50) |
| April 4, 2012 | PA | HB 153 | Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly | Bill Passed - House (140 - 49) |
| April 3, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57) |
| April 3, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57) |
| March 29, 2012 | MI | HB 5061 | Requires Photo Identification for Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - House (65 - 45) |
| March 28, 2012 | SC | SB 1227 | Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds | Bill Passed - House (85 - 22) |
| March 22, 2012 | CA | AJR 22 | Requests a Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United | Joint Resolution Passed - House (48 - 22) |
| March 21, 2012 | IL | HB 3944 | Authorizing the Recording of Police | Bill Failed - House (45 - 59) |
| March 20, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| March 20, 2012 | CO | HB 1111 | Voter Identification Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| March 20, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| March 14, 2012 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
| March 14, 2012 | NY | A 9556 | Authorizes Casino Gambling | Amendment Adopted - House (96 - 45) |
| March 8, 2012 | VA | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (66 - 31) |
| March 6, 2012 | WI | AJR 63 | Limits Recalls of Elected Officials | Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37) |
| March 5, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2043 | Amends Requirements for Ballot Measures for Future Tax Increases | Resolution Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| March 1, 2012 | FL | HB 1209 | Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | IA | HJR 2009 | Prohibiting Mandatory Licensing and Registration of Guns | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | AL | HB 159 | Authorizes Economic Development Incentive Program | Bill Passed - House (65 - 22) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | KY | HB 70 | Authorizes People Convicted of Certain Felonies to Vote | Bill Passed - House (78 - 18) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | MO | HB 1104 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (101 - 54) |
| Feb. 3, 2012 | UT | HB 253 | Removal of Voters from Voter Registration List | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | VA | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Jan. 25, 2012 | SD | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | NH | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
| Nov. 30, 2011 | NH | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
| Nov. 18, 2011 | National | H J Res 2 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165) |
| Sept. 12, 2011 | NC | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Bill Passed - House (75 - 42) |
| Aug. 1, 2011 | National | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 161) |
| July 29, 2011 | National | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
| July 19, 2011 | National | HR 2560 | Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 190) |
| June 30, 2011 | RI | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (51 - 22) |
| June 23, 2011 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - House (108 - 88) |
| June 22, 2011 | OH | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| June 9, 2011 | ME | LD 1376 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (72 - 65) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/06 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132) |
| 6/06 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
| 6/06 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
| 5/31 | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
| 5/31 | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| 5/24 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| 5/18 | H Amdt 1127 | Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238) |
| 4/30 | HB 5024 | Authorizes Election Day Registration | Bill Passed - House (83 - 59) |
| 4/26 | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39) |
| 4/19 | SB 1182 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 22) |
| 4/04 | HJ 2 | Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason | Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50) |
| 4/04 | HB 153 | Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly | Bill Passed - House (140 - 49) |
| 4/03 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57) |
| 4/03 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57) |
| 3/29 | HB 5061 | Requires Photo Identification for Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - House (65 - 45) |
| 3/28 | SB 1227 | Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds | Bill Passed - House (85 - 22) |
| 3/22 | AJR 22 | Requests a Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United | Joint Resolution Passed - House (48 - 22) |
| 3/21 | HB 3944 | Authorizing the Recording of Police | Bill Failed - House (45 - 59) |
| 3/20 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| 3/20 | HB 1111 | Voter Identification Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| 3/20 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| 3/14 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
| 3/14 | A 9556 | Authorizes Casino Gambling | Amendment Adopted - House (96 - 45) |
| 3/08 | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (66 - 31) |
| 3/06 | AJR 63 | Limits Recalls of Elected Officials | Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37) |
| 3/05 | HCR 2043 | Amends Requirements for Ballot Measures for Future Tax Increases | Resolution Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| 3/01 | HB 1209 | Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
| 2/29 | HJR 2009 | Prohibiting Mandatory Licensing and Registration of Guns | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 37) |
| 2/27 | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| 2/17 | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| 2/16 | HB 159 | Authorizes Economic Development Incentive Program | Bill Passed - House (65 - 22) |
| 2/16 | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| 2/16 | HB 70 | Authorizes People Convicted of Certain Felonies to Vote | Bill Passed - House (78 - 18) |
| 2/09 | HB 1104 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (101 - 54) |
| 2/03 | HB 253 | Removal of Voters from Voter Registration List | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
| 2/01 | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| 1/26 | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| 1/25 | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| 1/18 | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| 12/14 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
| 11/30 | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
| 11/18 | H J Res 2 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165) |
| 9/12 | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Bill Passed - House (75 - 42) |
| 8/01 | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 161) |
| 7/29 | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
| 7/19 | HR 2560 | Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 190) |
| 6/30 | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (51 - 22) |
| 6/23 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - House (108 - 88) |
| 6/22 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 6/09 | LD 1376 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (72 - 65) |