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
May 29, 2012 LA HB 209 Reduces Voting Hours Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
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 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 8, 2012 CT HB 5556 Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
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 2, 2012 MS HB 211 Authorizes Certian Officials to Hire Their Own Lawyers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 18)
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)
April 30, 2012 AZ HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
April 27, 2012 CO SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
April 25, 2012 AZ SB 1332 Requires the Federal Government to Give Back Land to Arizona Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
April 25, 2012 OK HB 3061 Reduces Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
April 24, 2012 AZ SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
April 23, 2012 TN SJR 710 Amends Judicial Appointment Process Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
April 10, 2012 MS HB 921 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
April 9, 2012 MD SB 236 Septic System Installation Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/29 HB 209 Reduces Voting Hours Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
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)
5/16 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)
5/08 HB 5556 Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
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)
5/02 HB 211 Authorizes Certian Officials to Hire Their Own Lawyers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 18)
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)
4/30 HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
4/27 SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
4/25 SB 1332 Requires the Federal Government to Give Back Land to Arizona Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
4/25 HB 3061 Reduces Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
4/24 SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
4/23 SJR 710 Amends Judicial Appointment Process Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
4/10 HB 921 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
4/09 SB 236 Septic System Installation Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 15)

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