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
June 16, 2011 LA HB 591 Permanent Cigarette Tax Veto Override Failed - House (58 - 44)
June 15, 2011 NY A 8446 Extension of Rent Control Laws Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 30)
June 15, 2011 NY A 8446 Extension of Rent Control Laws Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 43)
June 15, 2011 OH SJR 1 Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
June 15, 2011 TX SB 9 Enforcement of Federal and State Immigration Laws Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
June 13, 2011 OR HB 2541 Amends Inheritance Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
June 9, 2011 AL HB 60 Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 9)
June 9, 2011 NJ S 805 Senior Tenants' Rent Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
June 7, 2011 ME LD 1463 Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - House (66 - 81)
June 7, 2011 CT SB 1014 Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses Bill Passed - House (90 - 57)
June 7, 2011 OR SB 99 Establishes the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - House (48 - 12)
June 7, 2011 LA HB 138 Parole Eligibility for Elderly Inmates Bill Passed - House (65 - 25)
June 6, 2011 NV AB 571 Amending Smoking Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
June 6, 2011 CT HB 6308 Establishes the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
June 6, 2011 ME LD 1463 Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - Senate (15 - 18)
June 5, 2011 NV AB 571 Amending Smoking Regulations Bill Passed - House (23 - 19)
June 4, 2011 CT SB 1014 Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 18)
June 2, 2011 AL HB 56 Immigration Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 7)
June 2, 2011 AL HB 56 Immigration Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 29)
June 2, 2011 LA HB 591 Permanent Cigarette Tax Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
June 1, 2011 CA AB 131 In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 27)
June 1, 2011 CA AB 131 In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 27)
June 1, 2011 LA SB 133 Amends the Smoke-free Air Act Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 22)
May 31, 2011 IL SB 145 Nursing Home Infection Control Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 24)
May 31, 2011 IL SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/16 HB 591 Permanent Cigarette Tax Veto Override Failed - House (58 - 44)
6/15 A 8446 Extension of Rent Control Laws Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 30)
6/15 A 8446 Extension of Rent Control Laws Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 43)
6/15 SJR 1 Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
6/15 SB 9 Enforcement of Federal and State Immigration Laws Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
6/13 HB 2541 Amends Inheritance Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
6/09 HB 60 Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 9)
6/09 S 805 Senior Tenants' Rent Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
6/07 LD 1463 Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - House (66 - 81)
6/07 SB 1014 Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses Bill Passed - House (90 - 57)
6/07 SB 99 Establishes the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - House (48 - 12)
6/07 HB 138 Parole Eligibility for Elderly Inmates Bill Passed - House (65 - 25)
6/06 AB 571 Amending Smoking Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
6/06 HB 6308 Establishes the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
6/06 LD 1463 Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - Senate (15 - 18)
6/05 AB 571 Amending Smoking Regulations Bill Passed - House (23 - 19)
6/04 SB 1014 Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 18)
6/02 HB 56 Immigration Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 7)
6/02 HB 56 Immigration Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 29)
6/02 HB 591 Permanent Cigarette Tax Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
6/01 AB 131 In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 27)
6/01 AB 131 In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 27)
6/01 SB 133 Amends the Smoke-free Air Act Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 22)
5/31 SB 145 Nursing Home Infection Control Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 24)
5/31 SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24)

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