Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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 13, 2012 MI HB 4799 Prohibits Coercing a Woman into Having an Abortion Bill Passed - House (72 - 37)
March 12, 2012 KS HB 2353 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Handguns in Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (70 - 54)
March 12, 2012 ME LD 1603 Authorizes State Employees to Keep Concealed Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 1205 Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
March 8, 2012 MO HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
March 8, 2012 VA SB 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
March 8, 2012 NH HB 1654 Reduces Sentences of Prisoners Pursuing Degrees Bill Failed - House (152 - 171)
March 7, 2012 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 7, 2012 MO SB 572 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - House (87 - 68)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
March 7, 2012 GA HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (114 - 59)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
March 7, 2012 GA HB 1114 Prohibits Assisted Suicide Bill Passed - House (124 - 45)
March 7, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
March 6, 2012 AZ SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
March 6, 2012 AZ HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
March 6, 2012 AZ HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
March 5, 2012 WY HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
March 5, 2012 AZ HB 2125 Prohibits Texting While Driving Bill Passed - House (45 - 15)
March 5, 2012 GA HB 972 Regulation of Pain Management Clinics Bill Passed - House (124 - 38)
March 5, 2012 IA SF 2304 Requires DNA Samples from all Individuals Convicted of Certain Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
March 5, 2012 AZ SB 1495 Requires Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/13 HB 4799 Prohibits Coercing a Woman into Having an Abortion Bill Passed - House (72 - 37)
3/12 HB 2353 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Handguns in Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (70 - 54)
3/12 LD 1603 Authorizes State Employees to Keep Concealed Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
3/09 HB 1205 Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
3/08 HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
3/08 SB 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
3/08 HB 1654 Reduces Sentences of Prisoners Pursuing Degrees Bill Failed - House (152 - 171)
3/07 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/07 SB 572 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - House (87 - 68)
3/07 SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
3/07 HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (114 - 59)
3/07 SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
3/07 HB 1114 Prohibits Assisted Suicide Bill Passed - House (124 - 45)
3/07 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
3/07 SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
3/06 SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
3/06 HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
3/06 HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
3/05 HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
3/05 HB 2125 Prohibits Texting While Driving Bill Passed - House (45 - 15)
3/05 HB 972 Regulation of Pain Management Clinics Bill Passed - House (124 - 38)
3/05 SF 2304 Requires DNA Samples from all Individuals Convicted of Certain Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
3/05 SB 1495 Requires Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)

arrow_upward