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 26, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36) |
| April 21, 2011 | AL | SJR 82 | Establishing A Constitutional Revision Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| April 20, 2011 | AZ | HB 2230 | Relating to the 9/11 Memorial | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 20) |
| April 19, 2011 | AZ | HB 2230 | Relating to the 9/11 Memorial | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| April 15, 2011 | FL | HJR 7111 | Amends the Division of the Florida Supreme Court | Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 38) |
| April 14, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
| April 13, 2011 | MT | HB 574 | Clarifying Montana Constitution with Regards to Abortion | Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 20) |
| April 11, 2011 | GA | HB 92 | Limits Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20) |
| April 7, 2011 | NC | HB 61 | Term Limits for Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate | Amendment Adopted - House (72 - 46) |
| April 5, 2011 | AL | HB 60 | Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System | Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 28) |
| March 30, 2011 | NH | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| March 30, 2011 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 117) |
| March 24, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (101 - 48) |
| March 24, 2011 | AL | HB 60 | Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System | Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 28) |
| March 22, 2011 | AL | HB 19 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (64 - 31) |
| March 22, 2011 | MT | HB 574 | Clarifying Montana Constitution with Regards to Abortion | Amendment Adopted - House (66 - 31) |
| March 21, 2011 | AR | HB 1797 | Requires Proof of Identity to Vote | Bill Passed - House (53 - 36) |
| March 14, 2011 | NY | S 3331 | Non-Partisan Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 24) |
| March 9, 2011 | MD | Amendment 223923 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72) |
| March 9, 2011 | TN | SJR 18 | Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting an Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 5) |
| March 9, 2011 | FL | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 10) |
| March 4, 2011 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | |
| March 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 115 | Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40) |
| March 1, 2011 | WY | HB 204 | Patriotism in the Classroom | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| Feb. 25, 2011 | KS | HB 2067 | Voter Photographic Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 36) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MO | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MO | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | TX | SJR 1 | Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | CO | HB 1003 | Changes to Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | GA | HB 92 | Limits Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - House (148 - 20) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | National | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 143) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | IA | HF 260 | House Rule School Governance | Bill Passed - House (65 - 30) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | MO | SB 3 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | SC | H 3507 | Call For Constitutional Convention | Resolution Passed - House (72 - 44) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | MT | HB 206 | Constitutional Amendment on Freedom to Choose Health Insurance Coverage | Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 31) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | National | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 12) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| Feb. 14, 2011 | National | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Passed - House (275 - 144) |
| Feb. 11, 2011 | KS | HCR 5007 | Prohibiting Mandated Health Insurance | Bill Passed - House (91 - 27) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 17) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | National | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Failed - House (277 - 148) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | WY | HB 204 | Patriotism in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (52 - 5) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | IA | HJR 6 | Banning Same Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | WY | SJ 2 | Health Care Decisions for Citizens | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| Jan. 26, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - House (74 - 45) |
| Jan. 26, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| Jan. 24, 2011 | VA | SB 949 | Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Jan. 19, 2011 | NY | S 1892 | Limiting State Spending | Amendment Adopted - Senate (41 - 19) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/26 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36) |
| 4/21 | SJR 82 | Establishing A Constitutional Revision Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| 4/20 | HB 2230 | Relating to the 9/11 Memorial | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 20) |
| 4/19 | HB 2230 | Relating to the 9/11 Memorial | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 4/15 | HJR 7111 | Amends the Division of the Florida Supreme Court | Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 38) |
| 4/14 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
| 4/13 | HB 574 | Clarifying Montana Constitution with Regards to Abortion | Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 4/11 | HB 92 | Limits Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20) |
| 4/07 | HB 61 | Term Limits for Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate | Amendment Adopted - House (72 - 46) |
| 4/05 | HB 60 | Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System | Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 28) |
| 3/30 | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| 3/30 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 117) |
| 3/24 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (101 - 48) |
| 3/24 | HB 60 | Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System | Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 28) |
| 3/22 | HB 19 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (64 - 31) |
| 3/22 | HB 574 | Clarifying Montana Constitution with Regards to Abortion | Amendment Adopted - House (66 - 31) |
| 3/21 | HB 1797 | Requires Proof of Identity to Vote | Bill Passed - House (53 - 36) |
| 3/14 | S 3331 | Non-Partisan Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 24) |
| 3/09 | Amendment 223923 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72) |
| 3/09 | SJR 18 | Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting an Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 5) |
| 3/09 | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 3/04 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | |
| 3/02 | S Amdt 115 | Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40) |
| 3/01 | HB 204 | Patriotism in the Classroom | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 2/25 | HB 2067 | Voter Photographic Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 36) |
| 2/24 | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/24 | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/23 | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 2/23 | SJR 1 | Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 2/22 | HB 1003 | Changes to Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| 2/22 | HB 92 | Limits Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - House (148 - 20) |
| 2/17 | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 143) |
| 2/17 | HF 260 | House Rule School Governance | Bill Passed - House (65 - 30) |
| 2/17 | SB 3 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/16 | H 3507 | Call For Constitutional Convention | Resolution Passed - House (72 - 44) |
| 2/16 | HB 206 | Constitutional Amendment on Freedom to Choose Health Insurance Coverage | Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 31) |
| 2/15 | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 12) |
| 2/15 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| 2/14 | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Passed - House (275 - 144) |
| 2/11 | HCR 5007 | Prohibiting Mandated Health Insurance | Bill Passed - House (91 - 27) |
| 2/10 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 17) |
| 2/08 | HR 514 | Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions | Bill Failed - House (277 - 148) |
| 2/08 | HB 204 | Patriotism in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (52 - 5) |
| 2/02 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 2/01 | HJR 6 | Banning Same Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37) |
| 2/01 | SJ 2 | Health Care Decisions for Citizens | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 1/26 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - House (74 - 45) |
| 1/26 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 1/24 | SB 949 | Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 1/19 | S 1892 | Limiting State Spending | Amendment Adopted - Senate (41 - 19) |