Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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 28, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
March 26, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
March 19, 2012 CO HB 1271 Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
March 8, 2012 MO HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
March 7, 2012 MO SB 572 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - House (87 - 68)
March 6, 2012 AZ SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
March 5, 2012 IA SF 2304 Requires DNA Samples from all Individuals Convicted of Certain Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
Feb. 29, 2012 FL HB 609 Prohibits Unpaid Wage Collection Ordinances Bill Passed - House (77 - 38)
Feb. 28, 2012 UT HB 316 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - House (43 - 26)
Feb. 28, 2012 AZ SB 1336 Limiting Manufacturer Eligibility for Punitive Damages Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
Feb. 23, 2012 FL HB 549 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - House (83 - 30)
Feb. 16, 2012 MO SB 572 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Feb. 14, 2012 CO SB 20 Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Feb. 9, 2012 MO HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - House (89 - 68)
Feb. 8, 2012 MO SB 592 Limits Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
Jan. 30, 2012 CA AB 327 Amends Three Strikes Law Bill Failed - House (33 - 35)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1125 Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1126 Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
Nov. 1, 2011 WI AB 69 Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense Bill Passed - House (71 - 24)
Nov. 1, 2011 WI AB 147 Inadmissibility of Apology Statements by Health Care Providers Bill Passed - House (62 - 33)
Oct. 27, 2011 IL SB 1701 Legal Immunity for Individuals Seeking Treatment for Drug Overdose Bill Passed - House (61 - 53)
Oct. 27, 2011 WI SB 12 Limits Attorney Fees in Consumer Cases Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Oct. 21, 2011 National S Amdt 753 Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
Sept. 8, 2011 National HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/28 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
3/26 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
3/19 HB 1271 Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
3/08 HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
3/07 SB 572 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - House (87 - 68)
3/06 SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
3/05 SF 2304 Requires DNA Samples from all Individuals Convicted of Certain Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
2/29 HB 609 Prohibits Unpaid Wage Collection Ordinances Bill Passed - House (77 - 38)
2/28 HB 316 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - House (43 - 26)
2/28 SB 1336 Limiting Manufacturer Eligibility for Punitive Damages Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
2/23 HB 549 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - House (83 - 30)
2/16 SB 572 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
2/14 SB 20 Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
2/09 HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - House (89 - 68)
2/08 SB 592 Limits Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
1/30 AB 327 Amends Three Strikes Law Bill Failed - House (33 - 35)
12/01 S Amdt 1125 Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
12/01 S Amdt 1126 Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
12/01 S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
11/01 AB 69 Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense Bill Passed - House (71 - 24)
11/01 AB 147 Inadmissibility of Apology Statements by Health Care Providers Bill Passed - House (62 - 33)
10/27 SB 1701 Legal Immunity for Individuals Seeking Treatment for Drug Overdose Bill Passed - House (61 - 53)
10/27 SB 12 Limits Attorney Fees in Consumer Cases Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
10/21 S Amdt 753 Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
9/08 HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9)

arrow_upward