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 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2107 Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
May 24, 2012 NJ ACR 37 Overturns Department of Environmental Protection Waiver Rules Resolution Passed - House (47 - 31)
May 22, 2012 OH HB 473 Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
May 15, 2012 LA HB 380 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (65 - 26)
May 15, 2012 MA S Amdt 125 Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22)
May 15, 2012 MA S Amdt 125 Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22)
May 10, 2012 IL SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20)
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 9, 2012 RI S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
May 9, 2012 RI S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
May 8, 2012 AL SB 10 Prohibits Insurance from Providing Coverage for Abortions Bill Passed - House (76 - 28)
May 4, 2012 VT H 464 Prohibits Hydraulic Fracturing Conference Report Adopted - House (103 - 36)
May 2, 2012 AZ HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 20)
May 2, 2012 CO SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
May 1, 2012 CT HB 5021 Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6)
April 30, 2012 AZ HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
April 27, 2012 TN SB 3310 Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
April 27, 2012 CO SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
April 27, 2012 CO SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
April 26, 2012 CT HB 5021 Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays Bill Passed - House (116 - 27)
April 26, 2012 CA AB 2405 Authorizes Low-Emission Vehicles to Use HOV Lanes Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
April 25, 2012 AZ HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 9)
April 25, 2012 AZ HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 9)
April 25, 2012 MA H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/24 S Amdt 2107 Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
5/24 ACR 37 Overturns Department of Environmental Protection Waiver Rules Resolution Passed - House (47 - 31)
5/22 HB 473 Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
5/15 HB 380 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (65 - 26)
5/15 S Amdt 125 Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22)
5/15 S Amdt 125 Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22)
5/10 SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20)
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)
5/09 S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
5/09 S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
5/08 SB 10 Prohibits Insurance from Providing Coverage for Abortions Bill Passed - House (76 - 28)
5/04 H 464 Prohibits Hydraulic Fracturing Conference Report Adopted - House (103 - 36)
5/02 HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 20)
5/02 SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
5/01 HB 5021 Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6)
4/30 HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
4/27 SB 3310 Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
4/27 SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
4/27 SM 3 Urges Congress to Authorize Religious Exemptions to Providing Birth Control Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
4/26 HB 5021 Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays Bill Passed - House (116 - 27)
4/26 AB 2405 Authorizes Low-Emission Vehicles to Use HOV Lanes Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
4/25 HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 9)
4/25 HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 9)
4/25 H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)

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