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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 23, 2012 MD HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
Feb. 23, 2012 KS HB 2638 Reduces Unemployment Benefits and Unemployment Insurance Contributions Bill Passed - House (85 - 39)
Feb. 23, 2012 FL HB 549 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - House (83 - 30)
Feb. 22, 2012 VA SB 484 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - House (65 - 32)
Feb. 22, 2012 VA SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
Feb. 22, 2012 VA SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
Feb. 22, 2012 UT SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
Feb. 22, 2012 MI SB 971 Repeals Collective Bargaining Rights for Graduate Research Assistants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Feb. 21, 2012 VA HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 21, 2012 VA HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 21, 2012 MI HB 5033 Requires Asset Tests to Determine Eligibility for State Assistance Programs Bill Passed - House (67 - 39)
Feb. 17, 2012 National HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132)
Feb. 17, 2012 National HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36)
Feb. 17, 2012 WY HB 32 State House and Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (49 - 9)
Feb. 17, 2012 MD HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (72 - 67)
Feb. 16, 2012 NJ S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (42 - 33)
Feb. 15, 2012 MI HB 5085 Prohibits public employers from deducting political contributions from employee paychecks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 43)
Feb. 15, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
Feb. 15, 2012 NH HB 1666 Limits State Contribution to Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - House (232 - 119)
Feb. 15, 2012 NH HB 1666 Limits State Contribution to Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - House (232 - 119)
Feb. 15, 2012 CO HB 1301 Authorizes Legislative Appropriations Bill Passed - House (34 - 28)
Feb. 15, 2012 MS HB 211 Amends the Rules Regarding Hiring Outside Counsel Bill Passed - House (59 - 56)
Feb. 14, 2012 MI HB 5085 Prohibits public employers from deducting political contributions from employee paychecks Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Feb. 14, 2012 FL SB 2038 Private Correctional Facilities Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21)
Feb. 14, 2012 VA HB 1060 Requires Law Enforcement to Ask About Immigration Status During an Arrest Bill Passed - House (75 - 25)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/23 HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
2/23 HB 2638 Reduces Unemployment Benefits and Unemployment Insurance Contributions Bill Passed - House (85 - 39)
2/23 HB 549 Amends Alimony Provisions Bill Passed - House (83 - 30)
2/22 SB 484 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - House (65 - 32)
2/22 SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
2/22 SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
2/22 SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
2/22 SB 971 Repeals Collective Bargaining Rights for Graduate Research Assistants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
2/21 HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/21 HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/21 HB 5033 Requires Asset Tests to Determine Eligibility for State Assistance Programs Bill Passed - House (67 - 39)
2/17 HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132)
2/17 HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36)
2/17 HB 32 State House and Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (49 - 9)
2/17 HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (72 - 67)
2/16 S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (42 - 33)
2/15 HB 5085 Prohibits public employers from deducting political contributions from employee paychecks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 43)
2/15 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
2/15 HB 1666 Limits State Contribution to Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - House (232 - 119)
2/15 HB 1666 Limits State Contribution to Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - House (232 - 119)
2/15 HB 1301 Authorizes Legislative Appropriations Bill Passed - House (34 - 28)
2/15 HB 211 Amends the Rules Regarding Hiring Outside Counsel Bill Passed - House (59 - 56)
2/14 HB 5085 Prohibits public employers from deducting political contributions from employee paychecks Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
2/14 SB 2038 Private Correctional Facilities Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21)
2/14 HB 1060 Requires Law Enforcement to Ask About Immigration Status During an Arrest Bill Passed - House (75 - 25)

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