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
Feb. 27, 2012 UT HB 283 Authorizing State Liquor Stores to Open on Certain Holidays Bill Passed - House (42 - 30)
Feb. 27, 2012 WY HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
Feb. 27, 2012 WV HB 4486 Requires Insurance Policy Disclosure When a Claim is Filed Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
Feb. 24, 2012 VT H 559 Establishes a Health Benefit Exchange Bill Passed - House (88 - 38)
Feb. 24, 2012 VT H 559 Establishes a Health Benefit Exchange Bill Passed - House (88 - 38)
Feb. 24, 2012 UT HB 198 Prohibits Regulation of Family Food Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
Feb. 23, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
Feb. 23, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
Feb. 23, 2012 KS HCR 5007 Authorizes Kansas to Determine Its Health Care Policies Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14)
Feb. 23, 2012 OR SB 1580 Amends State Health Plan Bill Passed - House (53 - 7)
Feb. 23, 2012 ID HJM 10 Urges Congress to Pass Rights of Conscience Act Joint Resolution Passed - House (53 - 15)
Feb. 22, 2012 UT HB 363 Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
Feb. 22, 2012 UT SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
Feb. 22, 2012 NH HR 29 Urges Repeal of Rule Requiring Health Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives Resolution Passed - House (227 - 121)
Feb. 22, 2012 NH HR 29 Urges Repeal of Rule Requiring Health Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives Resolution Passed - House (227 - 121)
Feb. 21, 2012 UT HB 245 Prohibiting the Use of E-Cigarettes and Hookah Pipes in Public Places Bill Passed - House (42 - 31)
Feb. 21, 2012 WI SJR 21 Prohibits mandated health insurance Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
Feb. 17, 2012 GA SB 362 Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Feb. 15, 2012 FL HB 7087 Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions Bill Passed - House (92 - 22)
Feb. 15, 2012 WI SB 368 Amends Wetland Development Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Feb. 15, 2012 OK SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
Feb. 14, 2012 KY SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 14, 2012 KY SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 14, 2012 OR SB 1580 Amends State Health Plan Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
Feb. 14, 2012 VA SB 6 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/27 HB 283 Authorizing State Liquor Stores to Open on Certain Holidays Bill Passed - House (42 - 30)
2/27 HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
2/27 HB 4486 Requires Insurance Policy Disclosure When a Claim is Filed Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
2/24 H 559 Establishes a Health Benefit Exchange Bill Passed - House (88 - 38)
2/24 H 559 Establishes a Health Benefit Exchange Bill Passed - House (88 - 38)
2/24 HB 198 Prohibits Regulation of Family Food Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
2/23 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
2/23 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
2/23 HCR 5007 Authorizes Kansas to Determine Its Health Care Policies Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14)
2/23 SB 1580 Amends State Health Plan Bill Passed - House (53 - 7)
2/23 HJM 10 Urges Congress to Pass Rights of Conscience Act Joint Resolution Passed - House (53 - 15)
2/22 HB 363 Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
2/22 SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
2/22 HR 29 Urges Repeal of Rule Requiring Health Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives Resolution Passed - House (227 - 121)
2/22 HR 29 Urges Repeal of Rule Requiring Health Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives Resolution Passed - House (227 - 121)
2/21 HB 245 Prohibiting the Use of E-Cigarettes and Hookah Pipes in Public Places Bill Passed - House (42 - 31)
2/21 SJR 21 Prohibits mandated health insurance Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
2/17 SB 362 Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
2/15 HB 7087 Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions Bill Passed - House (92 - 22)
2/15 SB 368 Amends Wetland Development Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
2/15 SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
2/14 SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/14 SB 103 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/14 SB 1580 Amends State Health Plan Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
2/14 SB 6 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)

arrow_upward