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
Sept. 14, 2011 NH SB 88 Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense Veto Override Passed - House (251 - 111)
Sept. 14, 2011 NH SB 88 Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense Veto Override Passed - House (251 - 111)
Sept. 9, 2011 MO HB 6 Appropriations for Missouri Disaster Relief Bill Passed - House (127 - 22)
Sept. 9, 2011 MO HB 1 Authority Over the Saint Louis Police Department Bill Passed - House (123 - 27)
Sept. 8, 2011 National HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9)
Sept. 7, 2011 NH SB 129 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17)
Sept. 7, 2011 NH SB 88 Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
Sept. 7, 2011 NH SB 88 Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
July 14, 2011 CA SB 249 Prohibits Firearms with Detachable Magazines Bill Passed - House (48 - 21)
July 1, 2011 DE SB 65 Expansion of Criminal Nuisance Definition Bill Passed - House (26 - 15)
June 30, 2011 PA HB 960 Public Assistance Program Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (130 - 66)
June 30, 2011 PA HB 960 Public Assistance Program Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
June 30, 2011 RI S 400 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (51 - 22)
June 27, 2011 PA SB 1131 Tort Amendments Bill Passed - House (116 - 83)
June 23, 2011 National HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (304 - 117)
June 23, 2011 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - House (108 - 88)
June 21, 2011 LA HB 7 Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12)
June 21, 2011 WI SB 93 Weapons Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
June 21, 2011 PA SB 1131 Tort Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
June 16, 2011 NC SB 9 Death Penalty Discrimination Bill Passed - House (64 - 52)
June 15, 2011 OH SB 17 Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
June 15, 2011 OH SB 17 Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors Bill Passed - House (56 - 39)
June 14, 2011 WI SB 93 Weapons Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
June 10, 2011 ME LD 1376 Repeal Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
June 9, 2011 ME LD 1376 Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (72 - 65)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/14 SB 88 Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense Veto Override Passed - House (251 - 111)
9/14 SB 88 Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense Veto Override Passed - House (251 - 111)
9/09 HB 6 Appropriations for Missouri Disaster Relief Bill Passed - House (127 - 22)
9/09 HB 1 Authority Over the Saint Louis Police Department Bill Passed - House (123 - 27)
9/08 HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9)
9/07 SB 129 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17)
9/07 SB 88 Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
9/07 SB 88 Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
7/14 SB 249 Prohibits Firearms with Detachable Magazines Bill Passed - House (48 - 21)
7/01 SB 65 Expansion of Criminal Nuisance Definition Bill Passed - House (26 - 15)
6/30 HB 960 Public Assistance Program Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (130 - 66)
6/30 HB 960 Public Assistance Program Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
6/30 S 400 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (51 - 22)
6/27 SB 1131 Tort Amendments Bill Passed - House (116 - 83)
6/23 HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (304 - 117)
6/23 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - House (108 - 88)
6/21 HB 7 Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12)
6/21 SB 93 Weapons Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (68 - 27)
6/21 SB 1131 Tort Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
6/16 SB 9 Death Penalty Discrimination Bill Passed - House (64 - 52)
6/15 SB 17 Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
6/15 SB 17 Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors Bill Passed - House (56 - 39)
6/14 SB 93 Weapons Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
6/10 LD 1376 Repeal Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
6/09 LD 1376 Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (72 - 65)

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