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
March 15, 2012 NH HB 1405 Authorizes Moratoriums on Refugee Resettlements Bill Passed - House (190 - 109)
March 14, 2012 MS HB 488 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (70 - 47)
March 14, 2012 NH HB 1677 Prohibits Requiring Public Employees to Join Labor Unions Bill Passed - House (198 - 139)
March 14, 2012 NY A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (98 - 44)
March 13, 2012 WI SB 237 Amending Sexual Education Guidelines Bill Passed - House (60 - 34)
March 7, 2012 MI HB 4929 Prohibits Union Dues Deductions from School Employee Paychecks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 54)
March 7, 2012 GA HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (114 - 59)
March 5, 2012 ID HCR 40 2 Percent Pay Raise for State Employees Resolution Passed - House (54 - 14)
March 1, 2012 FL HB 1209 Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
March 1, 2012 FL HB 1209 Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
March 1, 2012 SD SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25)
March 1, 2012 SD SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25)
March 1, 2012 UT HB 155 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (62 - 10)
March 1, 2012 AZ HB 2519 Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (39 - 17)
Feb. 29, 2012 SD HB 1206 Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
Feb. 28, 2012 CO HB 1115 Authorizes Businesses to Comment on Fiscal Impact of Proposed Legislation Bill Passed - House (41 - 22)
Feb. 28, 2012 CO HB 1115 Authorizes Businesses to Comment on Fiscal Impact of Proposed Legislation Bill Passed - House (41 - 22)
Feb. 28, 2012 UT HB 316 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - House (43 - 26)
Feb. 27, 2012 WY HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
Feb. 24, 2012 UT HB 198 Prohibits Regulation of Family Food Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/15 HB 1405 Authorizes Moratoriums on Refugee Resettlements Bill Passed - House (190 - 109)
3/14 HB 488 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (70 - 47)
3/14 HB 1677 Prohibits Requiring Public Employees to Join Labor Unions Bill Passed - House (198 - 139)
3/14 A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (98 - 44)
3/13 SB 237 Amending Sexual Education Guidelines Bill Passed - House (60 - 34)
3/07 HB 4929 Prohibits Union Dues Deductions from School Employee Paychecks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 54)
3/07 HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (114 - 59)
3/05 HCR 40 2 Percent Pay Raise for State Employees Resolution Passed - House (54 - 14)
3/01 HB 1209 Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
3/01 HB 1209 Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
3/01 SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25)
3/01 SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25)
3/01 HB 155 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (62 - 10)
3/01 HB 2519 Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (39 - 17)
2/29 HB 1206 Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6)
2/28 H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
2/28 H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
2/28 H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
2/28 SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
2/28 SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
2/28 HB 1115 Authorizes Businesses to Comment on Fiscal Impact of Proposed Legislation Bill Passed - House (41 - 22)
2/28 HB 1115 Authorizes Businesses to Comment on Fiscal Impact of Proposed Legislation Bill Passed - House (41 - 22)
2/28 HB 316 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - House (43 - 26)
2/27 HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
2/24 HB 198 Prohibits Regulation of Family Food Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)

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