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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 2, 2011 AR SB 154 Cell Phones in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
Jan. 28, 2011 HI SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6)
Jan. 27, 2011 AR SB 113 Prohibit Abortion Health Care Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
Jan. 27, 2011 WY SF 100 Cruelty to Animals Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
Jan. 27, 2011 WY SJ 5 Definition of Marriage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Jan. 26, 2011 TX SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
Jan. 25, 2011 IN SB 47 Gambling Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
Jan. 24, 2011 VA SB 949 Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Jan. 24, 2011 WY SF 47 Firearm Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Jan. 19, 2011 MT SB 112 Authorizes the Use of Hand-Thrown Spears Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
Jan. 18, 2011 MS SB 2179 Restrictions on Employers of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/02 SB 154 Cell Phones in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
1/28 SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6)
1/27 SB 113 Prohibit Abortion Health Care Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
1/27 SF 100 Cruelty to Animals Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
1/27 SJ 5 Definition of Marriage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
1/26 SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
1/25 SB 47 Gambling Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
1/24 SB 949 Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
1/24 SF 47 Firearm Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
1/19 SB 112 Authorizes the Use of Hand-Thrown Spears Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
1/18 SB 2179 Restrictions on Employers of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)

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