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
April 30, 2012 TN SB 3597 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Groups at Public Universities Bill Passed - House (61 - 22)
April 30, 2012 LA HB 1072 Tax Incentives for a Franchise of the NBA Bill Passed - House (60 - 41)
April 30, 2012 TN SB 3597 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Groups at Public Universities Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
April 30, 2012 NY A 5039 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
April 30, 2012 CA AB 1960 Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
April 30, 2012 CT HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - House (83 - 59)
April 28, 2012 MN HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28)
April 28, 2012 MN HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62)
April 28, 2012 MN HF 2795 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
April 27, 2012 TN SB 3310 Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
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 MS HB 921 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39)
April 26, 2012 National S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
April 26, 2012 CO SB 2 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
April 26, 2012 CO SB 2 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
April 26, 2012 National S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
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)
April 25, 2012 MA H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
April 25, 2012 TN SB 2580 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
April 24, 2012 AZ SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
April 20, 2012 KY HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 19)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/30 SB 3597 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Groups at Public Universities Bill Passed - House (61 - 22)
4/30 HB 1072 Tax Incentives for a Franchise of the NBA Bill Passed - House (60 - 41)
4/30 SB 3597 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Groups at Public Universities Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
4/30 A 5039 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
4/30 AB 1960 Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
4/30 HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - House (83 - 59)
4/28 HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28)
4/28 HF 2171 Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62)
4/28 HF 2795 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
4/27 SB 3310 Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
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 921 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39)
4/26 S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
4/26 SB 2 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
4/26 SB 2 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
4/26 S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
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)
4/25 H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
4/25 SB 2580 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
4/24 SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
4/20 HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 19)

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