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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 15, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
| Dec. 7, 2011 | MI | HB 4770 | Prohibits Public Employers from Providing Medical Benefits to Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
| Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
| Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
| Nov. 29, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1107 | Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60) |
| Nov. 2, 2011 | WI | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Nov. 2, 2011 | WI | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Oct. 25, 2011 | WI | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Oct. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
| Oct. 13, 2011 | MA | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Sept. 13, 2011 | NC | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | NH | SB 88 | Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | NH | SB 88 | Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | NH | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 376 | Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| Aug. 30, 2011 | CA | AB 887 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Transgendered Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| July 14, 2011 | CA | AB 433 | Birth Certificates for Transgendered Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| July 14, 2011 | CA | AB 130 | Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| June 29, 2011 | RI | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| June 29, 2011 | RI | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/15 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
| 12/07 | HB 4770 | Prohibits Public Employers from Providing Medical Benefits to Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 12/01 | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
| 12/01 | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
| 12/01 | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
| 11/29 | S Amdt 1107 | Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60) |
| 11/02 | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 11/02 | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 10/25 | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 10/21 | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
| 10/13 | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 9/13 | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 9/08 | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 9/08 | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 9/07 | SB 88 | Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 9/07 | SB 88 | Civil Immunity from Acts of Self Defense | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 9/07 | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17) |
| 9/06 | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 9/06 | AB 376 | Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| 8/30 | AB 887 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Transgendered Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 7/14 | AB 433 | Birth Certificates for Transgendered Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 7/14 | AB 130 | Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 6/30 | HB 960 | Public Assistance Program Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 6/29 | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 6/29 | H 6103 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |