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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 6, 2012 UT HB 363 Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
March 6, 2012 AZ SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
March 5, 2012 WY HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
March 5, 2012 OR HB 4164 Implementing the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
March 5, 2012 OR HB 4164 Implementing the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
March 5, 2012 AZ SB 1495 Requires Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
March 1, 2012 WA HB 2319 Requirements for Health Benefit Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
March 1, 2012 National S Amdt 1520 Authorizes Moral and Religious Objections to Certain Health Care Items and Services Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 48)
March 1, 2012 VT S 199 Repeals Philosophical Exemption to Immunization Motion Agreed - Senate (25 - 4)
March 1, 2012 AZ SB 1507 Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Feb. 29, 2012 IN HB 1149 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Feb. 29, 2012 CO SB 93 Requires Hospitals to Disclose Religious Objections Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Feb. 27, 2012 SD HB 1206 Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
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. 22, 2012 UT SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
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 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)
Feb. 14, 2012 CO SB 20 Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Feb. 14, 2012 CO SB 20 Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Feb. 9, 2012 AZ SB 1061 Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
Feb. 8, 2012 KY SB 102 Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Feb. 8, 2012 KY SB 102 Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Feb. 7, 2012 OR SB 1510 Establishes Marine Reserves Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
Jan. 31, 2012 UT SB 32 Breast Cancer Screening Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
Jan. 26, 2012 CA SB 810 Establishes a Single-Payer Health Care System Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 15)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ S 958 Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/06 HB 363 Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
3/06 SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
3/05 HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
3/05 HB 4164 Implementing the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
3/05 HB 4164 Implementing the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
3/05 SB 1495 Requires Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
3/01 HB 2319 Requirements for Health Benefit Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
3/01 S Amdt 1520 Authorizes Moral and Religious Objections to Certain Health Care Items and Services Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 48)
3/01 S 199 Repeals Philosophical Exemption to Immunization Motion Agreed - Senate (25 - 4)
3/01 SB 1507 Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
2/29 HB 1149 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
2/29 SB 93 Requires Hospitals to Disclose Religious Objections Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
2/27 HB 1206 Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
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)
2/22 SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
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 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)
2/14 SB 20 Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
2/14 SB 20 Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
2/09 SB 1061 Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
2/08 SB 102 Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
2/08 SB 102 Specifies Conditions for Informed Consent Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
2/07 SB 1510 Establishes Marine Reserves Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
1/31 SB 32 Breast Cancer Screening Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
1/26 SB 810 Establishes a Single-Payer Health Care System Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 15)
1/09 S 958 Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9)

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