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 27, 2012 GA HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15)
March 21, 2012 NH SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
March 15, 2012 ID S 1358 Amends Bullying Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
March 14, 2012 NY S 6733 Expands DNA Database to Include Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
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 7, 2012 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
March 7, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
March 6, 2012 AZ SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
March 5, 2012 WY HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
March 5, 2012 IA SF 2304 Requires DNA Samples from all Individuals Convicted of Certain Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
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)
March 1, 2012 OR HB 4045 Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
March 1, 2012 OR SB 1594 Prohibits weapons on school grounds Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
Feb. 28, 2012 IA HF 589 Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10)
Feb. 28, 2012 AZ SB 1336 Limiting Manufacturer Eligibility for Punitive Damages Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
Feb. 27, 2012 VA HB 9 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 23, 2012 TN HB 2638 Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Feb. 23, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/27 HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15)
3/21 SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
3/15 S 1358 Amends Bullying Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
3/14 S 6733 Expands DNA Database to Include Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
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)
3/07 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/07 SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
3/07 SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
3/07 SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
3/07 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
3/06 SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
3/05 HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
3/05 SF 2304 Requires DNA Samples from all Individuals Convicted of Certain Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
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)
3/01 HB 4045 Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
3/01 SB 1594 Prohibits weapons on school grounds Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15)
2/28 HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
2/28 HF 589 Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10)
2/28 SB 1336 Limiting Manufacturer Eligibility for Punitive Damages Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
2/27 HB 9 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/23 HB 2638 Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
2/23 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)

arrow_upward