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. 14, 2012 | IA | HF 2274 | Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | VA | HB 1060 | Requires Law Enforcement to Ask About Immigration Status During an Arrest | Bill Passed - House (75 - 25) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | VA | HB 1060 | Requires Law Enforcement to Ask About Immigration Status During an Arrest | Bill Passed - House (75 - 25) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | FL | SB 2038 | Private Correctional Facilities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | SD | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | CO | SB 20 | Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | CO | HB 1088 | Authorizes the Use of Deadly Force Against Intruders in a Place of Business | Bill Passed - House (35 - 26) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | NM | SB 235 | Restricting Driver's Licenses for Foreign Nationals | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - House (417 - 2) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | AZ | SB 1061 | Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | VA | HB 14 | Provides Civil Immunity for the Use of Force Against Intruders | Bill Passed - House (75 - 22) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | VA | HB 48 | Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | KY | SB 102 | Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | NM | HB 103 | Increasing Regulation of Driver's Licenses Issued to Foreign Nationals | Bill Passed - House (45 - 25) |
| Feb. 7, 2012 | UT | SB 128 | Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | UT | SB 32 | Breast Cancer Screening | Bill Passed - House (66 - 6) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | UT | HB 210 | Restricts the Use of Severance Tax Revenue | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | NY | S 6087-A | Authorizes the Use of School Property for Religious Meetings and Worship | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 7) |
| Feb. 4, 2012 | NM | HB 111 | Increases Penalties for Public Officials who Commit Crimes | Bill Passed - House (41 - 26) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | National | HR 3835 | Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers | Bill Passed - House (309 - 117) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | National | HR 1173 | Repeals the CLASS Act | Bill Passed - House (267 - 159) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | NH | HB 1383 | Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents | Bill Passed - House (250 - 88) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | NH | HB 574 | Authorizes Government Acquisition of Private Property in State of Emergency | Bill Passed - House (257 - 87) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | IN | HB 1149 | Prohibits Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - House (62 - 34) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | NY | S 5560-A | Requires DNA Testing of All Persons Convicted of Certain Crimes | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | IN | HB 1269 | Authorizes Indiana to Join the Interstate Health Care Compact | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | UT | SB 32 | Breast Cancer Screening | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| Jan. 30, 2012 | MN | Anderson Nomination | Confirmation of Ellen Anderson as Public Utilities Commissioner | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 37) |
| Jan. 27, 2012 | VA | HB 1112 | Repeals HPV Vaccine Requirement | Bill Passed - House (62 - 34) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | CA | SB 810 | Establishes a Single-Payer Health Care System | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | WI | AB 426 | Requirements for Mining Permits | Bill Passed - House (59 - 36) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Jan. 25, 2012 | NH | Amdt 367s | Restricting Eminent Domain Petitions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
| Jan. 23, 2012 | IN | SB 170 | Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest in Local Government | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| Jan. 19, 2012 | CO | HR 1003 | Repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Resolution Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | KY | HB 30 | Authorizes Advertising on School Buses | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| Jan. 5, 2012 | NH | HB 194 | Authorizes Loaded Rifles and Shotguns in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (204 - 110) |
| Jan. 4, 2012 | NH | HB 334 | Authorizes Weapons on Public Property | Bill Passed - House (180 - 144) |