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
June 27, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (231 - 112)
June 27, 2012 NH SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (232 - 110)
June 27, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
June 27, 2012 NH SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
June 27, 2012 DE HB 333 Authorizes Online Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
June 21, 2012 NJ S 1599 Amends Surrogacy Laws Bill Passed - House (41 - 33)
June 21, 2012 NJ S 1599 Amends Surrogacy Laws Bill Passed - House (41 - 33)
June 21, 2012 NJ S 2001 Expands Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
June 19, 2012 NY A 1157B Requires Firearms to Have Microstamping Technology Bill Passed - House (85 - 60)
June 14, 2012 CA AB 2127 Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
June 13, 2012 MI SB 754 Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
June 13, 2012 MI SB 803 Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
June 13, 2012 OH HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - House (59 - 28)
June 13, 2012 DE SB 204 Extends the Gun Buy-back Program Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13)
June 13, 2012 PA HB 2400 Expands Wiretapping Authority Bill Passed - House (145 - 52)
June 12, 2012 MI SB 754 Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (66 - 43)
June 12, 2012 MI SB 803 Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote Bill Passed - House (67 - 43)
June 12, 2012 DE HB 333 Authorizes Online Gambling Bill Passed - House (29 - 8)
June 7, 2012 MI HB 5223 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (71 - 37)
June 6, 2012 NH SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 5)
June 6, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
June 6, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103)
June 6, 2012 NH SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101)
June 5, 2012 NC SB 582 Expands Casino Gambling Bill Passed - House (68 - 49)
May 31, 2012 IL HB 1907 Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 18)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1849 Expands Gambling Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 26)
May 31, 2012 MA H Amdt 11 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1064 Prohibits Private Security Services in Detention Centers Bill Failed - House (57 - 58)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 2621 Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program Bill Passed - House (68 - 50)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 2621 Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program Bill Passed - House (68 - 50)
May 31, 2012 CA AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 1506 Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 1525 Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
May 31, 2012 NJ S 1599 Amends Surrogacy Laws Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
May 31, 2012 NJ S 1599 Amends Surrogacy Laws Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
May 31, 2012 CA AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 1140 Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 1140 Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 1140 Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
May 30, 2012 MA H 3986 Authorizes Child Care Workers to Form Labor Organizations Bill Passed - House (117 - 32)
May 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
May 30, 2012 CA SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
May 29, 2012 LA SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4)
May 29, 2012 LA SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4)
May 29, 2012 CA AB 1447 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
May 24, 2012 IL SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13)
May 24, 2012 LA SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Bill Passed - House (77 - 22)
May 24, 2012 IL SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Bill Passed - House (94 - 22)
May 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
May 23, 2012 IL SB 1849 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - House (69 - 47)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/27 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (231 - 112)
6/27 SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (232 - 110)
6/27 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
6/27 SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
6/27 HB 333 Authorizes Online Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
6/21 S 1599 Amends Surrogacy Laws Bill Passed - House (41 - 33)
6/21 S 1599 Amends Surrogacy Laws Bill Passed - House (41 - 33)
6/21 S 2001 Expands Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
6/19 A 1157B Requires Firearms to Have Microstamping Technology Bill Passed - House (85 - 60)
6/14 AB 2127 Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
6/13 SB 754 Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
6/13 SB 803 Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
6/13 HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - House (59 - 28)
6/13 SB 204 Extends the Gun Buy-back Program Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13)
6/13 HB 2400 Expands Wiretapping Authority Bill Passed - House (145 - 52)
6/12 SB 754 Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (66 - 43)
6/12 SB 803 Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote Bill Passed - House (67 - 43)
6/12 HB 333 Authorizes Online Gambling Bill Passed - House (29 - 8)
6/07 HB 5223 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (71 - 37)
6/06 SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 5)
6/06 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
6/06 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103)
6/06 SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101)
6/05 SB 582 Expands Casino Gambling Bill Passed - House (68 - 49)
5/31 HB 1907 Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 18)
5/31 SB 1849 Expands Gambling Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 26)
5/31 H Amdt 11 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43)
5/31 SB 1064 Prohibits Private Security Services in Detention Centers Bill Failed - House (57 - 58)
5/31 SB 2621 Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program Bill Passed - House (68 - 50)
5/31 SB 2621 Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program Bill Passed - House (68 - 50)
5/31 AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
5/31 SB 1506 Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24)
5/31 SB 1525 Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
5/31 S 1599 Amends Surrogacy Laws Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
5/31 S 1599 Amends Surrogacy Laws Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
5/31 AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
5/31 SB 1140 Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
5/31 SB 1140 Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
5/31 SB 1140 Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
5/30 H 3986 Authorizes Child Care Workers to Form Labor Organizations Bill Passed - House (117 - 32)
5/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
5/30 SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
5/29 SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4)
5/29 SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4)
5/29 AB 1447 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
5/24 SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13)
5/24 SB 303 Limits Gun Regulations Bill Passed - House (77 - 22)
5/24 SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Bill Passed - House (94 - 22)
5/24 S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
5/23 SB 1849 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - House (69 - 47)

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