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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 11, 2011 | ND | HB 1263 | Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 15) |
| March 10, 2011 | WI | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - House (53 - 42) |
| March 10, 2011 | AZ | SCR 1016 | Constitutional Convention on Federal Debt | Resolution Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| March 10, 2011 | UT | HB 317 | Specifies that Gold and Silver Coins are Legal Tender in Utah | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 10, 2011 | UT | HB 317 | Specifies that Gold and Silver Coins are Legal Tender in Utah | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 9, 2011 | WI | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 1) |
| March 9, 2011 | MI | HB 4216 | Local Governments Fiscal Accountability | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| March 9, 2011 | MI | HB 4216 | Local Governments Fiscal Accountability | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| March 9, 2011 | MD | Amendment 223923 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72) |
| March 9, 2011 | FL | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 10) |
| March 9, 2011 | TN | SJR 18 | Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting an Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 5) |
| March 8, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - House (74 - 66) |
| March 8, 2011 | AZ | SB 1495 | Establishment of an Arizona State Guard | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| March 7, 2011 | UT | HB 477 | Government Records Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 29) |
| March 7, 2011 | UT | HB 477 | Government Records Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| March 7, 2011 | OR | SB 301 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 19) |
| March 7, 2011 | TN | SB 79 | Tennessee Health Care Freedom Act | Bill Passed - House (70 - 27) |
| March 4, 2011 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | |
| March 4, 2011 | MS | JR 1 | Redistricting for House of Representatives | Bill Passed - House (66 - 56) |
| March 4, 2011 | MS | JR 1 | Redistricting for House of Representatives | Bill Passed - House (66 - 56) |
| March 4, 2011 | UT | HB 317 | Specifies that Gold and Silver Coins are Legal Tender in Utah | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| March 4, 2011 | UT | HB 317 | Specifies that Gold and Silver Coins are Legal Tender in Utah | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| March 3, 2011 | MT | HB 521 | Referendum to Revise Judicial Election Laws | Bill Failed - House (45 - 54) |
| March 3, 2011 | MT | HB 521 | Referendum to Revise Judicial Election Laws | Bill Failed - House (45 - 54) |
| March 3, 2011 | GA | HB 87 | Immigration Enforcement Act | Bill Passed - House (113 - 56) |
| March 2, 2011 | KY | HB 305 | 2010-2012 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| March 2, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
| March 2, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
| March 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 115 | Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40) |
| March 2, 2011 | AZ | SB 1433 | Nullification of Federal Law | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
| March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| March 1, 2011 | AZ | SB 1394 | Regulation of Greenhouse Substances and Freedom to Breathe | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 1, 2011 | ID | S 1115 | Insurance Coverage of Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | WY | HB 120 | Open Public Meetings | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 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. 25, 2011 | WI | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 25, 2011 | KS | HB 2067 | Voter Photographic Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 36) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MI | HB 4214 | Fiscal Accountability for Local Governments and School Districts | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MI | HB 4214 | Fiscal Accountability for Local Governments and School Districts | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | GA | SB 17 | Special Advisory Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MO | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MO | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | TN | SB 79 | Tennessee Health Care Freedom Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MT | HB 381 | Criminalizing Enforcement of Certain Federal Firearms Laws | Bill Failed - House (38 - 61) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MI | HB 4216 | Local Governments Fiscal Accountability | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MI | HB 4216 | Local Governments Fiscal Accountability | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/11 | HB 1263 | Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 15) |
| 3/10 | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - House (53 - 42) |
| 3/10 | SCR 1016 | Constitutional Convention on Federal Debt | Resolution Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| 3/10 | HB 317 | Specifies that Gold and Silver Coins are Legal Tender in Utah | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/10 | HB 317 | Specifies that Gold and Silver Coins are Legal Tender in Utah | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/09 | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 1) |
| 3/09 | HB 4216 | Local Governments Fiscal Accountability | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 3/09 | HB 4216 | Local Governments Fiscal Accountability | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 3/09 | Amendment 223923 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72) |
| 3/09 | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 3/09 | SJR 18 | Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting an Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 5) |
| 3/08 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - House (74 - 66) |
| 3/08 | SB 1495 | Establishment of an Arizona State Guard | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 3/07 | HB 477 | Government Records Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 29) |
| 3/07 | HB 477 | Government Records Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 3/07 | SB 301 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 19) |
| 3/07 | SB 79 | Tennessee Health Care Freedom Act | Bill Passed - House (70 - 27) |
| 3/04 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | |
| 3/04 | JR 1 | Redistricting for House of Representatives | Bill Passed - House (66 - 56) |
| 3/04 | JR 1 | Redistricting for House of Representatives | Bill Passed - House (66 - 56) |
| 3/04 | HB 317 | Specifies that Gold and Silver Coins are Legal Tender in Utah | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| 3/04 | HB 317 | Specifies that Gold and Silver Coins are Legal Tender in Utah | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| 3/03 | HB 521 | Referendum to Revise Judicial Election Laws | Bill Failed - House (45 - 54) |
| 3/03 | HB 521 | Referendum to Revise Judicial Election Laws | Bill Failed - House (45 - 54) |
| 3/03 | HB 87 | Immigration Enforcement Act | Bill Passed - House (113 - 56) |
| 3/02 | HB 305 | 2010-2012 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 3/02 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
| 3/02 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
| 3/02 | S Amdt 115 | Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40) |
| 3/02 | SB 1433 | Nullification of Federal Law | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
| 3/02 | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| 3/01 | SB 1394 | Regulation of Greenhouse Substances and Freedom to Breathe | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 3/01 | S 1115 | Insurance Coverage of Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 2/28 | HB 120 | Open Public Meetings | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 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) |
| 2/25 | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/25 | HB 2067 | Voter Photographic Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 36) |
| 2/24 | HB 4214 | Fiscal Accountability for Local Governments and School Districts | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| 2/24 | HB 4214 | Fiscal Accountability for Local Governments and School Districts | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| 2/24 | SB 17 | Special Advisory Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 2/24 | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/24 | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/23 | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 2/23 | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 2/23 | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 2/23 | SB 79 | Tennessee Health Care Freedom Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 2/23 | HB 381 | Criminalizing Enforcement of Certain Federal Firearms Laws | Bill Failed - House (38 - 61) |
| 2/23 | HB 4216 | Local Governments Fiscal Accountability | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| 2/23 | HB 4216 | Local Governments Fiscal Accountability | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |