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
Feb. 22, 2012 VA SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
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. 21, 2012 VA HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 21, 2012 VA HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 21, 2012 MI HB 5033 Requires Asset Tests to Determine Eligibility for State Assistance Programs Bill Passed - House (67 - 39)
Feb. 21, 2012 UT HB 49 Authorizing the Concealed or Open Possession of Firearms Bill Passed - House (50 - 21)
Feb. 21, 2012 AZ HB 2563 Authorizing High School Elective Courses about the Bible Bill Passed - House (42 - 15)
Feb. 21, 2012 WI SB 386 Removes Voter Registration at High Schools Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
Feb. 20, 2012 VA HB 48 Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 20, 2012 VA HB 48 Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 20, 2012 CO HB 1064 Prohibits Gun Restrictions During Emergencies Bill Passed - House (45 - 19)
Feb. 17, 2012 ID H 404 Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 14)
Feb. 17, 2012 MD HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (72 - 67)
Feb. 17, 2012 MD HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (72 - 67)
Feb. 16, 2012 NJ S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (42 - 33)
Feb. 16, 2012 KY HB 70 Authorizes People Convicted of Certain Felonies to Vote Bill Passed - House (78 - 18)
Feb. 16, 2012 KY HB 70 Authorizes People Convicted of Certain Felonies to Vote Bill Passed - House (78 - 18)
Feb. 16, 2012 TN HB 2638 Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property Bill Passed - House (70 - 26)
Feb. 15, 2012 OH HB 386 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
Feb. 15, 2012 OR HB 4045 Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers Bill Passed - House (44 - 14)
Feb. 15, 2012 FL HB 7087 Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions Bill Passed - House (92 - 22)
Feb. 15, 2012 OK SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
Feb. 15, 2012 OK SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/22 SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
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)
2/21 HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/21 HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/21 HB 5033 Requires Asset Tests to Determine Eligibility for State Assistance Programs Bill Passed - House (67 - 39)
2/21 HB 49 Authorizing the Concealed or Open Possession of Firearms Bill Passed - House (50 - 21)
2/21 HB 2563 Authorizing High School Elective Courses about the Bible Bill Passed - House (42 - 15)
2/21 SB 386 Removes Voter Registration at High Schools Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
2/20 HB 48 Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/20 HB 48 Authorizing Physical Force Against Intruders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/20 HB 1064 Prohibits Gun Restrictions During Emergencies Bill Passed - House (45 - 19)
2/17 H 404 Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 14)
2/17 HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (72 - 67)
2/17 HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (72 - 67)
2/16 S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (42 - 33)
2/16 HB 70 Authorizes People Convicted of Certain Felonies to Vote Bill Passed - House (78 - 18)
2/16 HB 70 Authorizes People Convicted of Certain Felonies to Vote Bill Passed - House (78 - 18)
2/16 HB 2638 Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property Bill Passed - House (70 - 26)
2/15 HB 386 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
2/15 HB 4045 Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers Bill Passed - House (44 - 14)
2/15 HB 7087 Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions Bill Passed - House (92 - 22)
2/15 SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
2/15 SB 1433 Defines life as beginning at conception Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8)

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