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 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) |