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. 12, 2011 NC SB 514 Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage Bill Passed - House (75 - 42)
Sept. 9, 2011 CA AB 101 Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
Sept. 9, 2011 MO HB 1 Authority Over the Saint Louis Police Department Bill Passed - House (123 - 27)
Sept. 8, 2011 CA SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
Sept. 8, 2011 CA AB 101 Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
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)
Sept. 7, 2011 NH SB 129 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Bill Passed - House (52 - 26)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA AB 376 Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
Sept. 2, 2011 CA AB 887 Prohibits Discrimination Against Transgendered Individuals Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 25)
Aug. 30, 2011 CA AB 887 Prohibits Discrimination Against Transgendered Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
Aug. 22, 2011 CA AB 433 Birth Certificates for Transgendered Individuals Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 26)
July 27, 2011 National H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
July 14, 2011 CA SB 249 Prohibits Firearms with Detachable Magazines Bill Passed - House (48 - 21)
July 14, 2011 CA AB 433 Birth Certificates for Transgendered Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
July 14, 2011 CA AB 130 Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
July 5, 2011 CA SB 48 Requires Teaching Gay History Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
July 5, 2011 CA SB 48 Requires Teaching Gay History Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
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 29, 2011 RI H 6103 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/12 SB 514 Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage Bill Passed - House (75 - 42)
9/09 AB 101 Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
9/09 HB 1 Authority Over the Saint Louis Police Department Bill Passed - House (123 - 27)
9/08 SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
9/08 AB 101 Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
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)
9/07 SB 129 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17)
9/06 SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Bill Passed - House (52 - 26)
9/06 AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
9/06 AB 376 Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
9/02 AB 887 Prohibits Discrimination Against Transgendered Individuals Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 25)
8/30 AB 887 Prohibits Discrimination Against Transgendered Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
8/22 AB 433 Birth Certificates for Transgendered Individuals Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 26)
7/27 H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
7/14 SB 249 Prohibits Firearms with Detachable Magazines Bill Passed - House (48 - 21)
7/14 AB 433 Birth Certificates for Transgendered Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
7/14 AB 130 Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
7/05 SB 48 Requires Teaching Gay History Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
7/05 SB 48 Requires Teaching Gay History Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
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)
6/29 H 6103 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)

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