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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 21, 2012 | KS | HB 2117 | Reduces Income Tax Rate | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| March 21, 2012 | AZ | HB 2862 | Appropriates Funds for Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| March 19, 2012 | MN | HF 545 | Requires State Budget to Include Federal Insolvency Contingency Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 12) |
| March 15, 2012 | MD | SB 523 | Increases State Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| March 12, 2012 | OK | SB 1571 | Repeals State Income Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
| March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 859 | School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| March 8, 2012 | AZ | SB 1338 | Requires Online Retailers to Pay Sales Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 20) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | SB 1083 | Establishes the Arizona Special Missions Unit | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | CO | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Feb. 24, 2012 | GA | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | VA | SB 30 | 2012-2014 Biennium Budget | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | VA | SB 131 | Establishes Tax Deductions for Corporations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | MS | HCR 33 | Amends the State Budget Process | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | UT | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | FL | SB 2038 | Private Correctional Facilities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | NM | SB 9 | Changes Corporate Income Tax Rates and Filing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13) |
| Feb. 7, 2012 | UT | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 16) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/21 | HB 2117 | Reduces Income Tax Rate | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 3/21 | HB 2862 | Appropriates Funds for Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| 3/19 | HF 545 | Requires State Budget to Include Federal Insolvency Contingency Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 12) |
| 3/15 | SB 523 | Increases State Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| 3/12 | SB 1571 | Repeals State Income Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 3/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 3/09 | HB 859 | School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 3/08 | SB 1338 | Requires Online Retailers to Pay Sales Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 20) |
| 3/01 | SB 1083 | Establishes the Arizona Special Missions Unit | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 2/29 | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 2/28 | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/28 | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/27 | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 2/24 | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 2/23 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| 2/23 | SB 30 | 2012-2014 Biennium Budget | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| 2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| 2/17 | SB 131 | Establishes Tax Deductions for Corporations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/15 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/15 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/15 | HCR 33 | Amends the State Budget Process | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 2/15 | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 2/14 | SB 2038 | Private Correctional Facilities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| 2/13 | SB 9 | Changes Corporate Income Tax Rates and Filing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13) |
| 2/07 | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 16) |