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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 18, 2011 | NV | AB 211 | Prohibiting Discriminatory Employment Practices Based On Gender or Expression | Bill Passed - House (29 - 13) |
| April 14, 2011 | DE | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| April 14, 2011 | CA | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| April 11, 2011 | MD | HB 235 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination | Motion Agreed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 7, 2011 | DE | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| April 1, 2011 | TX | Amdt 143 | Requiring Public Colleges and Universities to Fund Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values | Amendment Adopted - House (110 - 24) |
| March 26, 2011 | MD | HB 235 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (86 - 52) |
| March 24, 2011 | CO | SB 172 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 9, 2011 | MD | Amendment 223923 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72) |
| March 8, 2011 | AZ | SB 1188 | Preference for Married Couples in Adoption | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| March 2, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (14 - 16) |
| March 2, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 28) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | WA | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MT | HB 516 | Limiting Local Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (62 - 37) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MD | SB 116 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | HI | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| Feb. 11, 2011 | HI | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Bill Passed - House (31 - 19) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | VA | SB 747 | Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | IA | HJR 6 | Banning Same Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37) |
| Jan. 28, 2011 | HI | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| Jan. 27, 2011 | WY | SJ 5 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Jan. 24, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (32 - 27) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/18 | AB 211 | Prohibiting Discriminatory Employment Practices Based On Gender or Expression | Bill Passed - House (29 - 13) |
| 4/14 | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| 4/14 | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 4/11 | HB 235 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination | Motion Agreed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 4/07 | SB 30 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| 4/01 | Amdt 143 | Requiring Public Colleges and Universities to Fund Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values | Amendment Adopted - House (110 - 24) |
| 3/26 | HB 235 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (86 - 52) |
| 3/24 | SB 172 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/09 | Amendment 223923 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72) |
| 3/08 | SB 1188 | Preference for Married Couples in Adoption | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 3/02 | HB 74 | Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 3/02 | HB 74 | Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 28) |
| 2/28 | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| 2/23 | HB 516 | Limiting Local Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (62 - 37) |
| 2/23 | SB 116 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 2/18 | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 2/16 | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| 2/11 | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Bill Passed - House (31 - 19) |
| 2/02 | SB 747 | Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/01 | HJR 6 | Banning Same Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37) |
| 1/28 | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| 1/27 | SJ 5 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 1/24 | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (32 - 27) |