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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |