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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 20, 2012 | KY | HB 1 | Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| April 20, 2012 | CT | HB 5312 | Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions | Bill Passed - House (84 - 57) |
| April 19, 2012 | AZ | HB 2625 | Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception | Conference Report Adopted - House (36 - 21) |
| April 19, 2012 | AZ | HB 2625 | Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception | Conference Report Adopted - House (36 - 21) |
| April 19, 2012 | AZ | SB 1182 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 22) |
| April 19, 2012 | CT | SB 245 | Authorizes People to Record Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| April 19, 2012 | MO | HB 1860 | Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock | Bill Passed - House (108 - 32) |
| April 19, 2012 | AL | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - House (64 - 34) |
| April 18, 2012 | NY | S 1707A | Authorizes Professional Mixed Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 14) |
| April 18, 2012 | CO | HB 1048 | Repeals State Background Checks for Gun Buyers | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| April 18, 2012 | TN | HB 3517 | Expands Definition of Offense Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (80 - 18) |
| April 16, 2012 | TN | SB 3345 | Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School | Bill Passed - House (63 - 29) |
| April 12, 2012 | AZ | HB 2625 | Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| April 12, 2012 | AZ | HB 2625 | Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| April 12, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| April 12, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| April 12, 2012 | CA | AB 2127 | Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders | Bill Passed - House (48 - 24) |
| April 12, 2012 | TN | SB 3345 | Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| April 11, 2012 | AZ | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15) |
| April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 599 | Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 599 | Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 599 | Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 10, 2012 | MS | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| April 10, 2012 | MS | SB 2771 | Expands Penalties for Child Homicide | Bill Passed - House (83 - 34) |
| April 9, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15) |
| April 9, 2012 | AZ | HB 2434 | Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 17) |
| April 9, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| April 9, 2012 | CO | SB 15 | College Tuition Rates for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| April 5, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
| April 5, 2012 | AZ | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| April 4, 2012 | AZ | HB 2434 | Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| April 4, 2012 | CT | HJ 2 | Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason | Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50) |
| April 3, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57) |
| April 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| April 3, 2012 | AL | SB 63 | Authorizes Private Work-Oriented Rehbilitation Programs for Inmates | Bill Passed - House (73 - 22) |
| April 3, 2012 | IA | HF 2450 | Prohibits the Use of Traffic Cameras | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |
| April 3, 2012 | AL | SB 396 | Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 30, 2012 | KY | SB 3 | Limits Over-the-Counter Purchases of Cold Medicine | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 56) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 56) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 1114 | Prohibits Assisted Suicide | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 53) |
| March 29, 2012 | KS | SB 62 | Authorizes Medical Professionals and Facilities to Not Provide Referrals for Abortions or Sterilizations | Bill Passed - House (95 - 29) |
| March 29, 2012 | MI | HB 5061 | Requires Photo Identification for Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - House (65 - 45) |
| March 29, 2012 | MO | HB 1541 | Provides Exemptions on Participating in Certain Medical Procedures. | Bill Passed - House (113 - 41) |
| March 29, 2012 | MO | SB 749 | Authorizes Employers to Exempt Contraception from Healthcare Coverage | (26 - 5) |
| March 29, 2012 | IL | HB 4083 | Internet Dating Site Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 26) |
| March 29, 2012 | IL | HB 5531 | Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees | Bill Failed - House (26 - 75) |
| March 29, 2012 | SC | H 4894 | Authorizes Income Tax Credit for Tuition Payments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 38) |
| March 29, 2012 | MO | HB 1541 | Provides Exemptions on Participating in Certain Medical Procedures. | Bill Passed - House (113 - 41) |
| March 29, 2012 | MO | SB 749 | Authorizes Employers to Exempt Contraception from Healthcare Coverage | (26 - 5) |
| March 28, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| March 28, 2012 | KY | SB 3 | Limits Over-the-Counter Purchases of Cold Medicine | Bill Passed - House (60 - 36) |
| March 28, 2012 | AZ | HB 2625 | Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| March 28, 2012 | AZ | HB 2625 | Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| March 28, 2012 | SC | SB 1227 | Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds | Bill Passed - House (85 - 22) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | H Amdt 917h | Authorizing the Establishment of 4 Casinos | Amendment Rejected - House (154 - 195) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 593 | Expands Gambling | Bill Failed - House (118 - 226) |
| March 27, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| March 27, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| March 27, 2012 | MN | HF 657 | Amends Ticket Sales Practices | Bill Passed - House (83 - 50) |
| March 27, 2012 | MD | SB 892 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| March 26, 2012 | ID | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
| March 23, 2012 | ID | SJM 104 | Urging Congress to Repeal Insurance Coverage of Contraception | Joint Resolution Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| March 22, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - House (38 - 29) |
| March 22, 2012 | ID | S 1295 | Requires Massage Therapists to be Licensed | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| March 21, 2012 | NH | HB 437 | Repeals Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (211 - 116) |
| March 21, 2012 | IL | HB 3944 | Authorizing the Recording of Police | Bill Failed - House (45 - 59) |
| March 21, 2012 | IL | HB 3944 | Authorizing the Recording of Police | Bill Failed - House (45 - 59) |
| March 21, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
| March 20, 2012 | ID | H 486 | Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds | Bill Passed - House (39 - 30) |
| March 20, 2012 | CO | HB 1111 | Voter Identification Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| March 20, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| March 19, 2012 | SD | HB 1248 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit | Veto Override Failed - House (27 - 40) |
| March 19, 2012 | CO | HB 1130 | Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| March 19, 2012 | CO | HB 1130 | Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |