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
Dec. 4, 2012 National Treaty Doc. 112-7 The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Treaty Ratification Failed - Senate (61 - 38)
Dec. 4, 2012 IL SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
Nov. 29, 2012 NJ S 2241 Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Nov. 29, 2012 NJ S 2 Requires Certain Municipalities to Merge Public Services Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3058 Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29)
Nov. 28, 2012 National S Amdt 2955 Expands the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program Amendment Adopted - Senate (85 - 11)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Oct. 17, 2012 PA SB 850 Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Oct. 17, 2012 MI SB 1294 Requires Blue Cross Blue Shield to Begin Paying State Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
Oct. 4, 2012 NJ S 1761 Requires more Transparancy and Accountability from Port Authority Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 15)
Oct. 4, 2012 NJ S 2135 Establishes the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
Aug. 23, 2012 CA AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 22, 2012 CA AB 2109 Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
Aug. 22, 2012 CA AB 2327 Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Aug. 22, 2012 CA AB 472 Authorizes Immunity for Reporting Drug Overdoses Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
Aug. 21, 2012 CA HB 2676 Increases Penalties For Agriculture Health And Safety Violations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
Aug. 20, 2012 NJ A 578 Authorizes Temporary Immunity for Witnesses and Victims of a Drug Overdose Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
July 19, 2012 MA H 3818 Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
July 18, 2012 MI SB 1130 Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
July 5, 2012 CA AB 1081 Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/04 Treaty Doc. 112-7 The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Treaty Ratification Failed - Senate (61 - 38)
12/04 SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
11/29 S 2241 Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
11/29 S 2 Requires Certain Municipalities to Merge Public Services Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
11/29 S Amdt 3058 Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29)
11/28 S Amdt 2955 Expands the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program Amendment Adopted - Senate (85 - 11)
10/25 S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
10/25 S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
10/25 S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
10/25 S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
10/17 SB 850 Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
10/17 SB 1294 Requires Blue Cross Blue Shield to Begin Paying State Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
10/04 S 1761 Requires more Transparancy and Accountability from Port Authority Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 15)
10/04 S 2135 Establishes the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/29 AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
8/23 AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/22 AB 2109 Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
8/22 AB 2327 Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
8/22 AB 472 Authorizes Immunity for Reporting Drug Overdoses Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
8/21 HB 2676 Increases Penalties For Agriculture Health And Safety Violations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
8/20 A 578 Authorizes Temporary Immunity for Witnesses and Victims of a Drug Overdose Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
7/19 H 3818 Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
7/18 SB 1130 Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
7/05 AB 1081 Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)

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