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 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)

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