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
April 19, 2012 CT SB 245 Authorizes People to Record Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
April 18, 2012 CO HB 1048 Repeals State Background Checks for Gun Buyers Bill Passed - House (37 - 28)
April 18, 2012 TN HB 3517 Expands Definition of Offense Against Fetuses Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
April 12, 2012 AZ HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
April 12, 2012 AZ HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
April 12, 2012 CA AB 2127 Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders Bill Passed - House (48 - 24)
April 11, 2012 CT SB 280 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (86 - 62)
April 11, 2012 ME LD 1810 Regulatory Takings Bill Passed - House (74 - 72)
April 10, 2012 MS HB 921 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
April 10, 2012 MS SB 2771 Expands Penalties for Child Homicide Bill Passed - House (83 - 34)
April 9, 2012 AZ HB 2434 Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 17)
April 9, 2012 AZ HB 2199 Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15)
April 9, 2012 AZ HB 2199 Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15)
April 9, 2012 LA SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
April 5, 2012 MN HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29)
April 5, 2012 CO HB 1271 Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 4, 2012 AZ HB 2434 Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
April 4, 2012 CT SB 280 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
April 4, 2012 CT HJ 2 Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50)
April 3, 2012 MN HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57)
April 3, 2012 AZ HB 2199 Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
April 3, 2012 AZ HB 2199 Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
April 3, 2012 AL SB 63 Authorizes Private Work-Oriented Rehbilitation Programs for Inmates Bill Passed - House (73 - 22)
April 3, 2012 AL SB 396 Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
April 3, 2012 IA HF 2450 Prohibits the Use of Traffic Cameras Bill Passed - House (58 - 42)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/19 SB 245 Authorizes People to Record Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
4/18 HB 1048 Repeals State Background Checks for Gun Buyers Bill Passed - House (37 - 28)
4/18 HB 3517 Expands Definition of Offense Against Fetuses Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
4/12 HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
4/12 HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
4/12 AB 2127 Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders Bill Passed - House (48 - 24)
4/11 SB 280 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - House (86 - 62)
4/11 LD 1810 Regulatory Takings Bill Passed - House (74 - 72)
4/10 HB 921 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
4/10 SB 2771 Expands Penalties for Child Homicide Bill Passed - House (83 - 34)
4/09 HB 2434 Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 17)
4/09 HB 2199 Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15)
4/09 HB 2199 Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15)
4/09 SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
4/05 HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29)
4/05 HB 1271 Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/04 HB 2434 Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
4/04 SB 280 Repeals the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
4/04 HJ 2 Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50)
4/03 HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57)
4/03 HB 2199 Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
4/03 HB 2199 Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
4/03 SB 63 Authorizes Private Work-Oriented Rehbilitation Programs for Inmates Bill Passed - House (73 - 22)
4/03 SB 396 Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
4/03 HF 2450 Prohibits the Use of Traffic Cameras Bill Passed - House (58 - 42)

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