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
May 19, 2011 RI H 6103 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (62 - 11)
May 19, 2011 RI H 6103 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (62 - 11)
May 19, 2011 CA AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - House (55 - 22)
May 19, 2011 CT HB 6599 Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression Bill Passed - House (77 - 62)
May 17, 2011 TX SB 420 Eligibility for Indigent Health Care Bill Passed - House (102 - 40)
May 17, 2011 LA HB 7 Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (67 - 26)
May 16, 2011 TX SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46)
May 16, 2011 CA AB 144 Concealed Weapons Bill Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
May 13, 2011 TX HB 359 Corporal Punishment in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
May 12, 2011 CT HB 6390 Access to Postsecondary Education Bill Passed - House (77 - 63)
May 10, 2011 MO HB 73 Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 34)
May 10, 2011 TX HB 12 Enforcement Of State And Federal Laws Governing Immigration Bill Passed - House (100 - 47)
May 9, 2011 NJ S 799 Adopted Individuals' Access to Birth Certificates Bill Passed - House (45 - 26)
May 9, 2011 NJ A 3699 Prohibiting the Burial of Petty's Run Archaeological Excavation Site Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
May 6, 2011 VT H 436 Tax Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 48)
May 5, 2011 CA AB 130 Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (51 - 22)
May 4, 2011 FL SB 234 Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm Bill Passed - House (99 - 17)
May 4, 2011 LA HB 52 Increasing New Orleans Traffic Court Costs Bill Failed - House (49 - 22)
April 27, 2011 MT HB 627 Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 35)
April 26, 2011 SC H 3003 Voter ID Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36)
April 26, 2011 GA HB 234 Reduces Sales Taxes for Tourism Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - House (90 - 73)
April 26, 2011 FL HB 45 Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition Bill Passed - House (85 - 33)
April 26, 2011 FL HB 353 Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries Bill Passed - House (78 - 38)
April 21, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40)
April 21, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/19 H 6103 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (62 - 11)
5/19 H 6103 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (62 - 11)
5/19 AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - House (55 - 22)
5/19 HB 6599 Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression Bill Passed - House (77 - 62)
5/17 SB 420 Eligibility for Indigent Health Care Bill Passed - House (102 - 40)
5/17 HB 7 Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (67 - 26)
5/16 SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46)
5/16 AB 144 Concealed Weapons Bill Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
5/13 HB 359 Corporal Punishment in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
5/12 HB 6390 Access to Postsecondary Education Bill Passed - House (77 - 63)
5/10 HB 73 Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 34)
5/10 HB 12 Enforcement Of State And Federal Laws Governing Immigration Bill Passed - House (100 - 47)
5/09 S 799 Adopted Individuals' Access to Birth Certificates Bill Passed - House (45 - 26)
5/09 A 3699 Prohibiting the Burial of Petty's Run Archaeological Excavation Site Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
5/06 H 436 Tax Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 48)
5/05 AB 130 Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (51 - 22)
5/04 SB 234 Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm Bill Passed - House (99 - 17)
5/04 HB 52 Increasing New Orleans Traffic Court Costs Bill Failed - House (49 - 22)
4/27 HB 627 Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 35)
4/26 H 3003 Voter ID Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36)
4/26 HB 234 Reduces Sales Taxes for Tourism Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - House (90 - 73)
4/26 HB 45 Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition Bill Passed - House (85 - 33)
4/26 HB 353 Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries Bill Passed - House (78 - 38)
4/21 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40)
4/21 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40)

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