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 8, 2011 | WI | SB 116 | Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 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 | CT | SB 1014 | Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses | Bill Passed - House (90 - 57) |
| June 7, 2011 | LA | HB 138 | Parole Eligibility for Elderly Inmates | Bill Passed - House (65 - 25) |
| June 6, 2011 | OR | SB 347 | Exemptions from Disclosure of Public Records | Bill Passed - House (46 - 12) |
| June 6, 2011 | ME | LD 1463 | Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - Senate (15 - 18) |
| June 4, 2011 | CT | SB 1014 | Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| June 4, 2011 | CT | SB 1014 | Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 406 | Transportation Security Administration Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - House (219 - 204) |
| June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 385 | Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213) |
| June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 398 | Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205) |
| June 2, 2011 | National | HR 2017 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (231 - 188) |
| May 30, 2011 | NV | AB 301 | Voting Privileges for Felons | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| May 30, 2011 | NV | AB 136 | Governing Credits for Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| May 28, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 53) |
| May 28, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11) |
| May 27, 2011 | NV | AB 552 | DNA Samples for Felony Charges | Bill Passed - House (31 - 11) |
| May 27, 2011 | NV | AB 552 | DNA Samples for Felony Charges | Bill Passed - House (31 - 11) |
| May 26, 2011 | National | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153) |
| May 26, 2011 | National | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153) |
| May 26, 2011 | National | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23) |
| May 26, 2011 | National | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23) |
| May 25, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64) |
| May 23, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/08 | SB 116 | Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 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 1014 | Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses | Bill Passed - House (90 - 57) |
| 6/07 | HB 138 | Parole Eligibility for Elderly Inmates | Bill Passed - House (65 - 25) |
| 6/06 | SB 347 | Exemptions from Disclosure of Public Records | Bill Passed - House (46 - 12) |
| 6/06 | LD 1463 | Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Not Adopted - Senate (15 - 18) |
| 6/04 | SB 1014 | Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| 6/04 | SB 1014 | Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| 6/02 | H Amdt 406 | Transportation Security Administration Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - House (219 - 204) |
| 6/02 | H Amdt 385 | Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213) |
| 6/02 | H Amdt 398 | Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205) |
| 6/02 | HR 2017 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (231 - 188) |
| 5/30 | AB 301 | Voting Privileges for Felons | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| 5/30 | AB 136 | Governing Credits for Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 5/28 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 53) |
| 5/28 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 5/27 | AB 552 | DNA Samples for Felony Charges | Bill Passed - House (31 - 11) |
| 5/27 | AB 552 | DNA Samples for Felony Charges | Bill Passed - House (31 - 11) |
| 5/26 | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153) |
| 5/26 | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153) |
| 5/26 | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23) |
| 5/26 | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23) |
| 5/25 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64) |
| 5/23 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |