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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2012 | NY | S 6735 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - House (92 - 46) |
| March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
| March 7, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (114 - 59) |
| March 1, 2012 | UT | HB 155 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (62 - 10) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (39 - 17) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | WY | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | MI | HB 5033 | Requires Asset Tests to Determine Eligibility for State Assistance Programs | Bill Passed - House (67 - 39) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | IN | HB 1007 | Requires Drug Testing for TANF Applicants | Bill Passed - House (73 - 23) |
| Dec. 20, 2011 | National | HR 3630 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| Dec. 13, 2011 | National | HR 3630 | Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (234 - 193) |
| Dec. 8, 2011 | MI | HB 4770 | Prohibits Public Employers from Providing Medical Benefits to Public Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 45) |
| Nov. 3, 2011 | MI | HB 4701 | Amends the State Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - House (63 - 45) |
| Oct. 12, 2011 | NH | SB 198 | Amends Eligibility Requirements for TANF | Bill Passed - House (237 - 126) |
| Sept. 2, 2011 | CA | AB 6 | Repeals Fingerprinting Requirement for CalFresh Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (130 - 66) |
| June 22, 2011 | NH | HB 2 | Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 119) |
| June 16, 2011 | TX | HB 5 | Interstate Health Care Compact | Bill Passed - House (92 - 43) |
| June 9, 2011 | TX | SB 7 | Health Care | Bill Passed - House (89 - 41) |
| June 2, 2011 | AL | HB 414 | Increasing Retirement Contributions for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 48) |
| May 28, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 53) |
| May 17, 2011 | TX | SB 420 | Eligibility for Indigent Health Care | Bill Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| April 28, 2011 | MI | HB 4480 | Tax Exemption and Pension Bill | Bill Passed - House (56 - 52) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/15 | S 6735 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - House (92 - 46) |
| 3/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
| 3/07 | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (114 - 59) |
| 3/01 | HB 155 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (62 - 10) |
| 3/01 | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (39 - 17) |
| 2/29 | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| 2/27 | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| 2/21 | HB 5033 | Requires Asset Tests to Determine Eligibility for State Assistance Programs | Bill Passed - House (67 - 39) |
| 2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| 2/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| 1/31 | HB 1007 | Requires Drug Testing for TANF Applicants | Bill Passed - House (73 - 23) |
| 12/20 | HR 3630 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| 12/13 | HR 3630 | Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (234 - 193) |
| 12/08 | HB 4770 | Prohibits Public Employers from Providing Medical Benefits to Public Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 45) |
| 11/03 | HB 4701 | Amends the State Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - House (63 - 45) |
| 10/12 | SB 198 | Amends Eligibility Requirements for TANF | Bill Passed - House (237 - 126) |
| 9/02 | AB 6 | Repeals Fingerprinting Requirement for CalFresh Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| 6/30 | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (130 - 66) |
| 6/22 | HB 2 | Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 119) |
| 6/16 | HB 5 | Interstate Health Care Compact | Bill Passed - House (92 - 43) |
| 6/09 | SB 7 | Health Care | Bill Passed - House (89 - 41) |
| 6/02 | HB 414 | Increasing Retirement Contributions for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 48) |
| 5/28 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 53) |
| 5/17 | SB 420 | Eligibility for Indigent Health Care | Bill Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| 4/28 | HB 4480 | Tax Exemption and Pension Bill | Bill Passed - House (56 - 52) |