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
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
June 6, 2012 NH SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
June 6, 2012 NH HB 1490 Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
June 6, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
June 6, 2012 PA SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - House (129 - 67)
June 5, 2012 PA SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 3442 Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
May 31, 2012 MA H Amdt 11 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43)
May 31, 2012 IL HB 1447 Pension Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24)
May 31, 2012 CA AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
May 30, 2012 IL SB 3442 Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags Bill Passed - House (72 - 44)
May 29, 2012 LA HB 209 Reduces Voting Hours Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
May 24, 2012 LA SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Bill Passed - House (77 - 22)
May 24, 2012 AL SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (65 - 36)
May 24, 2012 AL SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (65 - 36)
May 24, 2012 AL HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 24, 2012 AL HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 22, 2012 LA HB 292 School Board Member Term Limits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
May 22, 2012 AL SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 22, 2012 AL SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 21, 2012 AL HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (66 - 35)
May 21, 2012 AL HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (66 - 35)
May 17, 2012 DE SB 185 Requires Lobbyists to Report Their Activities in the Legislature Bill Passed - House (26 - 12)
May 16, 2012 NH CACR 26 Authorizes the Legislature to Amend Supreme Court Rules Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
May 16, 2012 NH CACR 26 Authorizes the Legislature to Amend Supreme Court Rules Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
May 10, 2012 IL SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20)
May 10, 2012 KS SB 102 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (67 - 50)
May 10, 2012 KS SB 102 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (67 - 50)
May 10, 2012 National HR 5652 Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (218 - 199)
May 9, 2012 IA SF 2315 Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31)
May 9, 2012 IL SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Bill Passed - House (74 - 43)
May 8, 2012 OH SB 295 Repealing Provisions of the Election Revision Code Bill Passed - House (54 - 42)
May 8, 2012 CT HB 5556 Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 8, 2012 CT HB 5556 Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - House (94 - 54)
May 7, 2012 IA HF 2475 Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes Bill Passed - House (71 - 26)
May 5, 2012 CT HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
May 3, 2012 MN HF 2337 Amends Property Taxes Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 25)
May 3, 2012 MS JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (70 - 50)
May 3, 2012 MS JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (70 - 50)
May 2, 2012 MS HB 211 Authorizes Certian Officials to Hire Their Own Lawyers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 18)
May 2, 2012 AZ HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 20)
May 2, 2012 MS JR 1 State House Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14)
May 2, 2012 MS JR 1 State House Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14)
May 2, 2012 MS JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)
May 2, 2012 MS JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132)
6/06 CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
6/06 SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101)
6/06 CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
6/06 HB 1490 Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
6/06 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
6/06 SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - House (129 - 67)
6/05 SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
5/31 SB 3442 Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
5/31 H Amdt 11 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43)
5/31 HB 1447 Pension Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24)
5/31 AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
5/30 SB 3442 Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags Bill Passed - House (72 - 44)
5/29 HB 209 Reduces Voting Hours Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
5/24 SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Bill Passed - House (77 - 22)
5/24 SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (65 - 36)
5/24 SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (65 - 36)
5/24 HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/24 HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/22 HB 292 School Board Member Term Limits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
5/22 SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/22 SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/21 HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (66 - 35)
5/21 HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (66 - 35)
5/17 SB 185 Requires Lobbyists to Report Their Activities in the Legislature Bill Passed - House (26 - 12)
5/16 CACR 26 Authorizes the Legislature to Amend Supreme Court Rules Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
5/16 CACR 26 Authorizes the Legislature to Amend Supreme Court Rules Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
5/10 SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20)
5/10 SB 102 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (67 - 50)
5/10 SB 102 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (67 - 50)
5/10 HR 5652 Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (218 - 199)
5/09 SF 2315 Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31)
5/09 SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Bill Passed - House (74 - 43)
5/08 SB 295 Repealing Provisions of the Election Revision Code Bill Passed - House (54 - 42)
5/08 HB 5556 Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/08 HB 5556 Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - House (94 - 54)
5/07 HF 2475 Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes Bill Passed - House (71 - 26)
5/05 HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
5/03 HF 2337 Amends Property Taxes Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 25)
5/03 JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (70 - 50)
5/03 JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - House (70 - 50)
5/02 HB 211 Authorizes Certian Officials to Hire Their Own Lawyers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 18)
5/02 HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 20)
5/02 JR 1 State House Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14)
5/02 JR 1 State House Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14)
5/02 JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)
5/02 JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)

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