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 2, 2011 KY HB 305 2010-2012 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
March 2, 2011 WY HB 74 Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages Conference Report Rejected - Senate (14 - 16)
March 2, 2011 OH SB 5 Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
March 1, 2011 SC S 434 Prohibiting DHHS From Reducing Provider Rates Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
Feb. 28, 2011 NM SB 319 Eliminating Corporal Punishment Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18)
Feb. 28, 2011 AZ SB 1406 Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
Feb. 24, 2011 ID S 1108 Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
Feb. 23, 2011 UT SJR 9 Supervision of Public Education Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
Feb. 23, 2011 SD SB 156 Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 23, 2011 MD SB 116 Civil Marriage Protection Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
Feb. 22, 2011 VT S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2011 UT SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
Feb. 18, 2011 WY HB 74 Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
Feb. 18, 2011 MT SB 268 Election of Supreme Court Justices by District Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
Feb. 18, 2011 MT SB 97 Parental Notice of Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Feb. 17, 2011 AZ SB 1187 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
Feb. 17, 2011 IN SB 575 Collective Bargaining for School Employees Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
Feb. 16, 2011 HI SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
Feb. 15, 2011 National S Amdt 14 Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
Feb. 10, 2011 MA S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 10, 2011 AZ SB 1086 Tobacco Prohibitions Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
Feb. 4, 2011 ID S 1007 Labor Organizations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
Feb. 2, 2011 VA SB 747 Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 1, 2011 ID S 1006 Right to Work Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
Jan. 28, 2011 HI SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/02 HB 305 2010-2012 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
3/02 HB 74 Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages Conference Report Rejected - Senate (14 - 16)
3/02 SB 5 Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
3/01 S 434 Prohibiting DHHS From Reducing Provider Rates Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
2/28 SB 319 Eliminating Corporal Punishment Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18)
2/28 SB 1406 Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
2/24 S 1108 Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
2/23 SJR 9 Supervision of Public Education Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
2/23 SB 156 Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/23 SB 116 Civil Marriage Protection Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
2/22 S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
2/22 SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
2/18 HB 74 Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
2/18 SB 268 Election of Supreme Court Justices by District Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
2/18 SB 97 Parental Notice of Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
2/17 SB 1187 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
2/17 SB 575 Collective Bargaining for School Employees Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
2/16 SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
2/15 S Amdt 14 Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
2/10 S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/10 SB 1086 Tobacco Prohibitions Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
2/04 S 1007 Labor Organizations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
2/02 SB 747 Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/01 S 1006 Right to Work Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
1/28 SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6)

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