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 28, 2012 NH HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
March 28, 2012 NH HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112)
March 28, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
March 27, 2012 FL SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 47)
March 26, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
March 22, 2012 ID HJR 1 Requires a 2/3 Vote for Tax Increases Motion Rejected - House (37 - 33)
March 22, 2012 FL SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
March 15, 2012 KY SB 18 Amends Redistricting Requirements Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
March 14, 2012 NY A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
March 14, 2012 NY A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (98 - 44)
March 6, 2012 VA HB 1228 Increases Salary for State Legislators Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31)
Feb. 29, 2012 CO HB 1301 Authorizes Legislative Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Feb. 28, 2012 CO HB 1115 Authorizes Businesses to Comment on Fiscal Impact of Proposed Legislation Bill Passed - House (41 - 22)
Feb. 17, 2012 WY HB 32 State House and Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (49 - 9)
Feb. 15, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
Feb. 15, 2012 CO HB 1301 Authorizes Legislative Appropriations Bill Passed - House (34 - 28)
Feb. 15, 2012 NH HB 1666 Limits State Contribution to Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - House (232 - 119)
Feb. 9, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
Feb. 9, 2012 NM HB 42 Increasing Contribution to Legislative Pension Plan Bill Passed - House (56 - 10)
Feb. 9, 2012 KS HB 2606 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (109 - 14)
Feb. 8, 2012 National HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
Feb. 3, 2012 FL SB 1174 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (80 - 37)
Feb. 3, 2012 GA HB 829 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (101 - 53)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S Amdt 1472 Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/28 HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
3/28 HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112)
3/28 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
3/27 SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 47)
3/26 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
3/22 HJR 1 Requires a 2/3 Vote for Tax Increases Motion Rejected - House (37 - 33)
3/22 SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
3/15 SB 18 Amends Redistricting Requirements Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
3/14 A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
3/14 A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (98 - 44)
3/06 HB 1228 Increases Salary for State Legislators Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31)
2/29 HB 1301 Authorizes Legislative Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
2/28 HB 1115 Authorizes Businesses to Comment on Fiscal Impact of Proposed Legislation Bill Passed - House (41 - 22)
2/17 HB 32 State House and Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (49 - 9)
2/15 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
2/15 HB 1301 Authorizes Legislative Appropriations Bill Passed - House (34 - 28)
2/15 HB 1666 Limits State Contribution to Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - House (232 - 119)
2/09 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
2/09 HB 42 Increasing Contribution to Legislative Pension Plan Bill Passed - House (56 - 10)
2/09 HB 2606 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (109 - 14)
2/08 HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
2/03 SB 1174 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (80 - 37)
2/03 HB 829 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (101 - 53)
2/02 S Amdt 1472 Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)

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