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 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
6/04 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)

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