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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 1205 | Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| March 8, 2012 | UT | SB 208 | Interstate Health Care Compact | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 8, 2012 | WY | SF 25 | Amends Public Records Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 8) |
| March 8, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
| March 7, 2012 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 7, 2012 | FL | HB 971 | Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| March 7, 2012 | FL | HB 971 | Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| March 7, 2012 | UT | HB 148 | Authorizes the Transfer of Federal Lands to the State | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
| March 7, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| March 7, 2012 | GA | SB 438 | Prohibits State Employee Insurance Coverage of Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 18) |
| March 6, 2012 | VA | HB 1228 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31) |
| March 5, 2012 | AZ | SB 1449 | Establishes a Recall Primary Election for a Recall Election | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| March 5, 2012 | AZ | SCR 1008 | Declaration of State of Emergency | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | SB 1507 | Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | SB 1083 | Establishes the Arizona Special Missions Unit | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | CO | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | VA | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 24, 2012 | GA | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| Feb. 24, 2012 | GA | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | KS | SB 83 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | KS | HCR 5007 | Authorizes Kansas to Determine Its Health Care Policies | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/09 | HB 1205 | Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 3/08 | SB 208 | Interstate Health Care Compact | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/08 | SF 25 | Amends Public Records Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 3/08 | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
| 3/07 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 3/07 | HB 971 | Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 3/07 | HB 971 | Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 3/07 | HB 148 | Authorizes the Transfer of Federal Lands to the State | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
| 3/07 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| 3/07 | SB 438 | Prohibits State Employee Insurance Coverage of Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 18) |
| 3/06 | HB 1228 | Increases Salary for State Legislators | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31) |
| 3/05 | SB 1449 | Establishes a Recall Primary Election for a Recall Election | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 3/05 | SCR 1008 | Declaration of State of Emergency | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 3/01 | SB 1507 | Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 3/01 | SB 1083 | Establishes the Arizona Special Missions Unit | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 2/29 | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 2/28 | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| 2/28 | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| 2/28 | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/28 | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/27 | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/24 | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 2/24 | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 2/23 | SB 83 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (17 - 22) |
| 2/23 | HCR 5007 | Authorizes Kansas to Determine Its Health Care Policies | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |