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 9, 2011 TN SJR 18 Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting an Income Tax Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 5)
March 9, 2011 FL SJR 2 Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 10)
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 Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
March 2, 2011 KY HB 305 2010-2012 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
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 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. 24, 2011 MO SJR 2 Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
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. 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 TX SJR 1 Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
Feb. 23, 2011 TX SJR 1 Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
Feb. 22, 2011 VT S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2011 VT S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2011 VT S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2011 MT SB 254 Eminent Domain Over Federal Property Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/09 SJR 18 Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting an Income Tax Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 5)
3/09 SJR 2 Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 10)
3/08 SB 1495 Establishment of an Arizona State Guard Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
3/07 HB 477 Government Records Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
3/02 HB 305 2010-2012 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
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)
3/01 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)
2/24 SJR 2 Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
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)
2/23 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 SJR 1 Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
2/23 SJR 1 Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
2/22 S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
2/22 S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
2/22 S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
2/22 SB 254 Eminent Domain Over Federal Property Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)

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