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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 28, 2011 | NM | SB 319 | Eliminating Corporal Punishment | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | AZ | SB 1406 | Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MO | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | SD | SB 156 | Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MD | SB 116 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MD | SB 116 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | UT | SB 96 | Alimony Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | AZ | SCR 1020 | Victim Liability Protection | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 21, 2011 | MT | SB 279 | Permitting Qualified Personnel to Carry Weapons Into the Capital | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| Feb. 19, 2011 | MT | SB 114 | Communication Between Federal Law Enforcement Officers and County Sheriffs | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | MT | SB 97 | Parental Notice of Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | TX | SB 16 | Abortion Procedures Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | MO | SB 3 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | AZ | SB 1187 | Extends Waiting Period for Divorce | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | NJ | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | HI | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | National | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 12) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 17) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | UT | HB 219 | Official State Gun Designation | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | UT | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | AZ | SB 1086 | Tobacco Prohibitions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | AZ | SB 1086 | Tobacco Prohibitions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | VA | SB 747 | Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/28 | SB 319 | Eliminating Corporal Punishment | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| 2/28 | SB 1406 | Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 2/24 | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/23 | SB 156 | Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 2/23 | SB 116 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 2/23 | SB 116 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 2/22 | SB 96 | Alimony Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17) |
| 2/22 | SCR 1020 | Victim Liability Protection | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/21 | SB 279 | Permitting Qualified Personnel to Carry Weapons Into the Capital | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 2/19 | SB 114 | Communication Between Federal Law Enforcement Officers and County Sheriffs | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 2/18 | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 2/18 | SB 97 | Parental Notice of Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 2/17 | SB 16 | Abortion Procedures Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 2/17 | SB 3 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/17 | SB 1187 | Extends Waiting Period for Divorce | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 2/17 | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| 2/16 | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| 2/15 | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 12) |
| 2/10 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 17) |
| 2/10 | HB 219 | Official State Gun Designation | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 2/10 | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 2/10 | SB 1086 | Tobacco Prohibitions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16) |
| 2/10 | SB 1086 | Tobacco Prohibitions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16) |
| 2/02 | SB 747 | Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/02 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |