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
March 7, 2012 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
March 7, 2012 NH HB 1546 Authorizes Employers to Not Provide Contraception Coverage in Health Insurance Plans Bill Passed - House (196 - 150)
March 7, 2012 NH HB 1546 Authorizes Employers to Not Provide Contraception Coverage in Health Insurance Plans Bill Passed - House (196 - 150)
March 7, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 460 Exempts Religious Employers from Insurance Requirements for Coverage of Contraception Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 460 Exempts Religious Employers from Insurance Requirements for Coverage of Contraception Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
March 7, 2012 GA HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (114 - 59)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
March 7, 2012 GA HB 1114 Prohibits Assisted Suicide Bill Passed - House (124 - 45)
March 6, 2012 UT HB 363 Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
March 6, 2012 AZ HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
March 6, 2012 AZ HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
March 6, 2012 AZ SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
March 5, 2012 WY HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
March 5, 2012 AZ HB 2125 Prohibits Texting While Driving Bill Passed - House (45 - 15)
March 5, 2012 GA HB 717 Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault Bill Failed - House (82 - 73)
March 5, 2012 GA HB 717 Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault Bill Failed - House (82 - 73)
March 5, 2012 IA SF 2304 Requires DNA Samples from all Individuals Convicted of Certain Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
March 5, 2012 AZ SB 1495 Requires Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
March 5, 2012 GA SB 458 Repeals Certain Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
March 5, 2012 GA HB 972 Regulation of Pain Management Clinics Bill Passed - House (124 - 38)
March 2, 2012 OR HB 4045 Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 6)
March 2, 2012 FL HB 1205 Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees Bill Passed - House (79 - 37)
March 1, 2012 FL HB 1209 Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
March 1, 2012 FL HB 1209 Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
March 1, 2012 SD SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25)
March 1, 2012 SD SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25)
March 1, 2012 IN SB 1 Authorizes the Use of Force Against Law Enforcement Officers in Certain Situations Bill Passed - House (74 - 24)
March 1, 2012 OR HB 4045 Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
March 1, 2012 FL SB 98 Authorizes Student-Led Prayer in School Bill Passed - House (88 - 27)
March 1, 2012 National S Amdt 1520 Authorizes Moral and Religious Objections to Certain Health Care Items and Services Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 48)
March 1, 2012 AZ HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Bill Passed - House (39 - 18)
March 1, 2012 AZ HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Bill Passed - House (39 - 18)
March 1, 2012 OR SB 1594 Prohibits weapons on school grounds Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15)
March 1, 2012 UT HB 155 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (62 - 10)
Feb. 29, 2012 MN HF 1467 Expands the Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 47)
Feb. 29, 2012 MN HF 1467 Expands the Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 47)
Feb. 29, 2012 IA HF 2215 Authorizes the Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense Bill Passed - House (60 - 38)
Feb. 29, 2012 CO SB 93 Requires Hospitals to Disclose Religious Objections Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Feb. 29, 2012 National HR 1837 Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Bill Passed - House (246 - 175)
Feb. 29, 2012 IA HJR 2009 Prohibiting Mandatory Licensing and Registration of Guns Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 37)
Feb. 28, 2012 IA HF 589 Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 28)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/07 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/07 SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
3/07 HB 1546 Authorizes Employers to Not Provide Contraception Coverage in Health Insurance Plans Bill Passed - House (196 - 150)
3/07 HB 1546 Authorizes Employers to Not Provide Contraception Coverage in Health Insurance Plans Bill Passed - House (196 - 150)
3/07 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
3/07 SB 460 Exempts Religious Employers from Insurance Requirements for Coverage of Contraception Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
3/07 SB 460 Exempts Religious Employers from Insurance Requirements for Coverage of Contraception Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
3/07 SB 469 Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
3/07 HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (114 - 59)
3/07 SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
3/07 SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
3/07 HB 1114 Prohibits Assisted Suicide Bill Passed - House (124 - 45)
3/06 HB 363 Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
3/06 HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
3/06 HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
3/06 SB 1359 Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
3/05 HB 82 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
3/05 HB 2125 Prohibits Texting While Driving Bill Passed - House (45 - 15)
3/05 HB 717 Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault Bill Failed - House (82 - 73)
3/05 HB 717 Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault Bill Failed - House (82 - 73)
3/05 SF 2304 Requires DNA Samples from all Individuals Convicted of Certain Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
3/05 SB 1495 Requires Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
3/05 SB 458 Repeals Certain Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
3/05 HB 972 Regulation of Pain Management Clinics Bill Passed - House (124 - 38)
3/02 HB 4045 Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 6)
3/02 HB 1205 Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees Bill Passed - House (79 - 37)
3/01 HB 1209 Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
3/01 HB 1209 Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
3/01 SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25)
3/01 SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25)
3/01 SB 1 Authorizes the Use of Force Against Law Enforcement Officers in Certain Situations Bill Passed - House (74 - 24)
3/01 HB 4045 Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
3/01 SB 98 Authorizes Student-Led Prayer in School Bill Passed - House (88 - 27)
3/01 S Amdt 1520 Authorizes Moral and Religious Objections to Certain Health Care Items and Services Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 48)
3/01 HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Bill Passed - House (39 - 18)
3/01 HB 2625 Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception Bill Passed - House (39 - 18)
3/01 SB 1594 Prohibits weapons on school grounds Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15)
3/01 HB 155 Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (62 - 10)
2/29 HF 1467 Expands the Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 47)
2/29 HF 1467 Expands the Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 47)
2/29 HF 2215 Authorizes the Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense Bill Passed - House (60 - 38)
2/29 SB 93 Requires Hospitals to Disclose Religious Objections Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
2/29 HR 1837 Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Bill Passed - House (246 - 175)
2/29 HJR 2009 Prohibiting Mandatory Licensing and Registration of Guns Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 37)
2/28 HF 589 Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 28)
2/28 HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
2/28 H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
2/28 H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
2/28 H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
2/28 SB 141 Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)

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