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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 17, 2012 | NJ | S 581 | Establishes Tax Credits for Investors in Small Business Technology | Bill Passed - House (47 - 30) |
| Dec. 4, 2012 | IL | SB 681 | Authorizes State Residents To Purchase Ammunition From In-State Companies | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 28) |
| Dec. 3, 2012 | NJ | A 2162 | Increases Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| Nov. 29, 2012 | NJ | A 2162 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Nov. 29, 2012 | NJ | S 2241 | Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| Nov. 29, 2012 | NJ | SCR 1 | Increases Minimum Wage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Nov. 16, 2012 | National | HR 6156 | Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (365 - 43) |
| Aug. 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1313 | Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 2327 | Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 18) |
| Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | AB 2327 | Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Aug. 13, 2012 | CA | AB 1500 | Corporate Tax Rates and Middle Class Scholarship Fund | Bill Passed - House (54 - 25) |
| July 31, 2012 | MA | S 2400 | Establishes Accountable Care Organizations | Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20) |
| July 26, 2012 | National | HR 4078 | Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 172) |
| July 25, 2012 | National | HR 459 | Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (327 - 98) |
| July 19, 2012 | National | S 3364 | Bring Jobs Home Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| July 12, 2012 | National | S 2237 | Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| July 2, 2012 | CA | SB 900 | Establishes Regulations for Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| July 2, 2012 | CA | AB 278 | Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| June 19, 2012 | DE | SB 205 | Requires Manufactured Home Community Owners to Explain Rent Increases | Bill Failed - House (14 - 22) |
| June 11, 2012 | RI | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (60 - 8) |
| June 11, 2012 | RI | H 7323 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| June 8, 2012 | RI | H 7323 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| June 7, 2012 | RI | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| June 6, 2012 | PA | HB 2191 | Authorizes Payday Loans | Bill Passed - House (102 - 90) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/17 | S 581 | Establishes Tax Credits for Investors in Small Business Technology | Bill Passed - House (47 - 30) |
| 12/04 | SB 681 | Authorizes State Residents To Purchase Ammunition From In-State Companies | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 28) |
| 12/03 | A 2162 | Increases Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| 11/29 | A 2162 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 11/29 | S 2241 | Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 11/29 | SCR 1 | Increases Minimum Wage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 11/16 | HR 6156 | Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (365 - 43) |
| 8/31 | AB 1313 | Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33) |
| 8/27 | AB 2327 | Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 18) |
| 8/22 | AB 2327 | Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 8/13 | AB 1500 | Corporate Tax Rates and Middle Class Scholarship Fund | Bill Passed - House (54 - 25) |
| 7/31 | S 2400 | Establishes Accountable Care Organizations | Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20) |
| 7/26 | HR 4078 | Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 172) |
| 7/25 | HR 459 | Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (327 - 98) |
| 7/19 | S 3364 | Bring Jobs Home Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| 7/12 | S 2237 | Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| 7/02 | SB 900 | Establishes Regulations for Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 7/02 | AB 278 | Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 6/19 | SB 205 | Requires Manufactured Home Community Owners to Explain Rent Increases | Bill Failed - House (14 - 22) |
| 6/11 | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (60 - 8) |
| 6/11 | H 7323 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 6/08 | H 7323 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| 6/07 | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 6/06 | HB 2191 | Authorizes Payday Loans | Bill Passed - House (102 - 90) |
| 5/31 | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |