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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2, 2012 | CA | SB 900 | Establishes Regulations for Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| July 2, 2012 | CA | AB 278 | Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| July 2, 2012 | CA | AB 278 | Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| June 29, 2012 | PA | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| June 27, 2012 | MA | H 4174 | Authorizes Funds for State Transportation Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| June 27, 2012 | DE | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| June 25, 2012 | NJ | S 1566 | Authorizes the Conversion of Foreclosed Homes into Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| June 21, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2372 | Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43) |
| June 21, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2310 | Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients | Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73) |
| June 21, 2012 | National | S 3240 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
| June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2156 | Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2181 | Limits Farm Subsidies to Farmers with Incomes Under $250,000 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 84) |
| June 13, 2012 | RI | H 7782 | Regulates Auto Insurance Company Claims and Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| June 13, 2012 | RI | H 7909 | Requires State Health Laws to Comply with the Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| June 13, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2393 | Repeals Sugar Subsidies | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46) |
| June 12, 2012 | RI | S 2052 | Homeless Bill of Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | CACR 12 | Legislative Authority of Education Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | HB 1490 | Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1849 | Expands Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 26) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 5440 | Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 956 | Regulates Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Loans and Lenders | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1525 | Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| May 30, 2012 | CA | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/02 | SB 900 | Establishes Regulations for Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 7/02 | AB 278 | Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 7/02 | AB 278 | Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 6/29 | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| 6/27 | H 4174 | Authorizes Funds for State Transportation Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 6/27 | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| 6/25 | S 1566 | Authorizes the Conversion of Foreclosed Homes into Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 2372 | Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 2310 | Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients | Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73) |
| 6/21 | S 3240 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
| 6/19 | S Amdt 2156 | Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| 6/19 | S Amdt 2181 | Limits Farm Subsidies to Farmers with Incomes Under $250,000 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 84) |
| 6/13 | H 7782 | Regulates Auto Insurance Company Claims and Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 6/13 | H 7909 | Requires State Health Laws to Comply with the Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 6/13 | S Amdt 2393 | Repeals Sugar Subsidies | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46) |
| 6/12 | S 2052 | Homeless Bill of Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2) |
| 6/06 | CACR 12 | Legislative Authority of Education Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
| 6/06 | HB 1490 | Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
| 5/31 | SB 1849 | Expands Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 26) |
| 5/31 | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 5/31 | HB 5440 | Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| 5/31 | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 5/31 | SB 956 | Regulates Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Loans and Lenders | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 5/31 | SB 1525 | Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 5/30 | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |