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 3, 2012 AL SB 396 Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
March 30, 2012 KY SB 3 Limits Over-the-Counter Purchases of Cold Medicine Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
March 29, 2012 GA HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 56)
March 29, 2012 GA HB 1114 Prohibits Assisted Suicide Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 53)
March 29, 2012 MI HB 5061 Requires Photo Identification for Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (65 - 45)
March 29, 2012 IL HB 4083 Internet Dating Site Requirements Bill Passed - House (83 - 26)
March 28, 2012 KY SB 3 Limits Over-the-Counter Purchases of Cold Medicine Bill Passed - House (60 - 36)
March 28, 2012 SC SB 1227 Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds Bill Passed - House (85 - 22)
March 28, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
March 27, 2012 GA HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15)
March 26, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
March 22, 2012 ID S 1295 Requires Massage Therapists to be Licensed Bill Passed - House (39 - 29)
March 21, 2012 IL HB 3944 Authorizing the Recording of Police Bill Failed - House (45 - 59)
March 21, 2012 IL HB 3944 Authorizing the Recording of Police Bill Failed - House (45 - 59)
March 21, 2012 NH SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
March 20, 2012 MN HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (72 - 62)
March 20, 2012 CO HB 1111 Voter Identification Amendments Bill Passed - House (33 - 31)
March 19, 2012 SD HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit Veto Override Failed - House (27 - 40)
March 19, 2012 CO HB 1271 Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
March 19, 2012 CO HB 1130 Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses Bill Passed - House (33 - 32)
March 15, 2012 ID S 1358 Amends Bullying Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
March 15, 2012 MD HB 650 Reduces Prison Sentences for Inmates Seeking Education Bill Passed - House (81 - 54)
March 14, 2012 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88)
March 14, 2012 NY S 6733 Expands DNA Database to Include Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
March 14, 2012 MS HB 488 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (70 - 47)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/03 SB 396 Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
3/30 SB 3 Limits Over-the-Counter Purchases of Cold Medicine Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
3/29 HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 56)
3/29 HB 1114 Prohibits Assisted Suicide Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 53)
3/29 HB 5061 Requires Photo Identification for Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (65 - 45)
3/29 HB 4083 Internet Dating Site Requirements Bill Passed - House (83 - 26)
3/28 SB 3 Limits Over-the-Counter Purchases of Cold Medicine Bill Passed - House (60 - 36)
3/28 SB 1227 Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds Bill Passed - House (85 - 22)
3/28 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
3/27 HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15)
3/26 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
3/22 S 1295 Requires Massage Therapists to be Licensed Bill Passed - House (39 - 29)
3/21 HB 3944 Authorizing the Recording of Police Bill Failed - House (45 - 59)
3/21 HB 3944 Authorizing the Recording of Police Bill Failed - House (45 - 59)
3/21 SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
3/20 HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (72 - 62)
3/20 HB 1111 Voter Identification Amendments Bill Passed - House (33 - 31)
3/19 HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit Veto Override Failed - House (27 - 40)
3/19 HB 1271 Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
3/19 HB 1130 Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses Bill Passed - House (33 - 32)
3/15 S 1358 Amends Bullying Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
3/15 HB 650 Reduces Prison Sentences for Inmates Seeking Education Bill Passed - House (81 - 54)
3/14 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88)
3/14 S 6733 Expands DNA Database to Include Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
3/14 HB 488 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (70 - 47)

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