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 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)

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