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. 21, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
Dec. 6, 2012 MI HB 4003 Limits Labor Organization Activities: Public Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
Dec. 6, 2012 MI SB 116 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Dec. 4, 2012 IL SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
Nov. 30, 2012 National S Amdt 3025 Requires Sufficient Sizing of Civilian and Contract Services Workforces Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 53)
Nov. 29, 2012 NJ S 2241 Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3058 Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
Sept. 22, 2012 National H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 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. 22, 2012 CA AB 2109 Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
July 5, 2012 CA AB 1081 Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
June 29, 2012 PA HB 1261 Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
June 25, 2012 NJ A 763 Increases Fees to Fund the E-Court Information System Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
June 25, 2012 NJ S 1566 Authorizes the Conversion of Foreclosed Homes into Affordable Housing Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
June 19, 2012 National S Amdt 2172 Rescinds Bonuses to States for Administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 58)
June 19, 2012 National S Amdt 2174 Limits Eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56)
June 15, 2012 CA AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
June 13, 2012 National S Amdt 2392 Reduces Funding for Food Stamps Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33)
June 12, 2012 RI S 2052 Homeless Bill of Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/21 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
12/06 HB 4003 Limits Labor Organization Activities: Public Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
12/06 SB 116 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
12/04 SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
11/30 S Amdt 3025 Requires Sufficient Sizing of Civilian and Contract Services Workforces Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 53)
11/29 S 2241 Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
11/29 S Amdt 3058 Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29)
10/25 S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
10/25 S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
9/22 H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
8/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/29 SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
8/29 AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
8/22 AB 2109 Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
7/05 AB 1081 Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
6/29 HB 1261 Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
6/25 A 763 Increases Fees to Fund the E-Court Information System Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
6/25 S 1566 Authorizes the Conversion of Foreclosed Homes into Affordable Housing Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
6/19 S Amdt 2172 Rescinds Bonuses to States for Administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 58)
6/19 S Amdt 2174 Limits Eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56)
6/15 AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
6/13 S Amdt 2392 Reduces Funding for Food Stamps Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33)
6/12 S 2052 Homeless Bill of Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2)
6/06 CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)

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