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 29, 2011 | RI | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| June 24, 2011 | NY | A 8354 | Marriage Equality Enactment | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29) |
| June 23, 2011 | DE | SB 129 | Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| June 23, 2011 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - House (108 - 88) |
| June 22, 2011 | NH | HB 329 | Revising Abortion Procedures for Unemancipated Minors | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| June 22, 2011 | NH | HB 329 | Revising Abortion Procedures for Unemancipated Minors | Veto Override Passed - House (266 - 102) |
| June 21, 2011 | LA | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| June 21, 2011 | WI | SB 93 | Weapons Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| June 19, 2011 | LA | HB 342 | Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| June 15, 2011 | OH | SB 17 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| June 15, 2011 | OH | SB 17 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors | Bill Passed - House (56 - 39) |
| June 15, 2011 | NY | A 8354 | Marriage Equality Enactment | Bill Passed - House (80 - 63) |
| June 15, 2011 | TX | SB 9 | Enforcement of Federal and State Immigration Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| June 14, 2011 | WI | SB 93 | Weapons Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| June 10, 2011 | ME | LD 1376 | Repeal Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
| June 9, 2011 | ME | LD 1376 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (72 - 65) |
| June 8, 2011 | ME | LD 1046 | Transgender Discrimination Law Amendments | "Ought to Pass" Report Not Adopted - Senate (11 - 23) |
| 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 | ME | LD 1046 | Transgender Discrimination Law Amendments | "Ought to Pass" Report Not Adopted - House (61 - 81) |
| 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 4, 2011 | CT | HB 6599 | Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| June 2, 2011 | AL | HB 56 | Immigration Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 7) |
| June 2, 2011 | AL | HB 56 | Immigration Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 29) |
| June 1, 2011 | CA | AB 131 | In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | HB 1490 | Regulates Full-Contact Martial Arts Events | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 744 | Authorizes Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| May 30, 2011 | NV | AB 301 | Voting Privileges for Felons | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| May 30, 2011 | IL | SB 744 | Authorizes Gambling | Bill Passed - House (65 - 50) |
| May 30, 2011 | NV | AB 136 | Governing Credits for Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| May 30, 2011 | IL | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
| 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 - Senate (72 - 23) |
| May 26, 2011 | IL | HB 1490 | Regulates Full-Contact Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 8) |
| May 25, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64) |
| May 25, 2011 | SC | S 20 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| May 24, 2011 | CT | HB 6390 | Access to Postsecondary Education | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 23, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
| May 23, 2011 | NY | S 1707 | Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18) |
| May 23, 2011 | National | S 1038 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8) |
| May 23, 2011 | NV | SB 368 | Prohibits Discrimination in Housing | Bill Passed - House (29 - 13) |
| May 23, 2011 | NJ | S 2899 | Medicaid Coverage for Family Planning Services | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/29 | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 6/24 | A 8354 | Marriage Equality Enactment | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 29) |
| 6/23 | SB 129 | Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| 6/23 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - House (108 - 88) |
| 6/22 | HB 329 | Revising Abortion Procedures for Unemancipated Minors | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 6/22 | HB 329 | Revising Abortion Procedures for Unemancipated Minors | Veto Override Passed - House (266 - 102) |
| 6/21 | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 6/21 | SB 93 | Weapons Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| 6/19 | HB 342 | Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 6/15 | SB 17 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| 6/15 | SB 17 | Authorizes Concealed Handguns at Alcohol Vendors | Bill Passed - House (56 - 39) |
| 6/15 | A 8354 | Marriage Equality Enactment | Bill Passed - House (80 - 63) |
| 6/15 | SB 9 | Enforcement of Federal and State Immigration Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 6/14 | SB 93 | Weapons Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 6/10 | LD 1376 | Repeal Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
| 6/09 | LD 1376 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (72 - 65) |
| 6/08 | LD 1046 | Transgender Discrimination Law Amendments | "Ought to Pass" Report Not Adopted - Senate (11 - 23) |
| 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 | LD 1046 | Transgender Discrimination Law Amendments | "Ought to Pass" Report Not Adopted - House (61 - 81) |
| 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) |
| 6/04 | HB 6599 | Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 6/02 | HB 56 | Immigration Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 7) |
| 6/02 | HB 56 | Immigration Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 29) |
| 6/01 | AB 131 | In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| 5/31 | HB 1490 | Regulates Full-Contact Martial Arts Events | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 45) |
| 5/31 | SB 744 | Authorizes Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| 5/30 | AB 301 | Voting Privileges for Felons | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| 5/30 | SB 744 | Authorizes Gambling | Bill Passed - House (65 - 50) |
| 5/30 | AB 136 | Governing Credits for Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 5/30 | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
| 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 - Senate (72 - 23) |
| 5/26 | HB 1490 | Regulates Full-Contact Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 8) |
| 5/25 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64) |
| 5/25 | S 20 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| 5/24 | HB 6390 | Access to Postsecondary Education | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/23 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
| 5/23 | S 1707 | Authorizes Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18) |
| 5/23 | S 1038 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8) |
| 5/23 | SB 368 | Prohibits Discrimination in Housing | Bill Passed - House (29 - 13) |
| 5/23 | S 2899 | Medicaid Coverage for Family Planning Services | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |