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
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)

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