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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/28 | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 3/28 | SB 3 | Limits Over-the-Counter Purchases of Cold Medicine | Bill Passed - House (60 - 36) |
| 3/28 | HB 2625 | Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| 3/28 | HB 2625 | Authorizes Employers to Refuse to Provide Coverage for Contraception | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| 3/28 | SB 1227 | Prohibits Camping on State House Grounds | Bill Passed - House (85 - 22) |
| 3/28 | H Amdt 917h | Authorizing the Establishment of 4 Casinos | Amendment Rejected - House (154 - 195) |
| 3/28 | HB 593 | Expands Gambling | Bill Failed - House (118 - 226) |
| 3/27 | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| 3/27 | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| 3/27 | HF 657 | Amends Ticket Sales Practices | Bill Passed - House (83 - 50) |
| 3/27 | SB 892 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| 3/26 | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
| 3/23 | SJM 104 | Urging Congress to Repeal Insurance Coverage of Contraception | Joint Resolution Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| 3/22 | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - House (38 - 29) |
| 3/22 | S 1295 | Requires Massage Therapists to be Licensed | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| 3/21 | HB 437 | Repeals Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (211 - 116) |
| 3/21 | HB 3944 | Authorizing the Recording of Police | Bill Failed - House (45 - 59) |
| 3/21 | HB 3944 | Authorizing the Recording of Police | Bill Failed - House (45 - 59) |
| 3/21 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
| 3/20 | H 486 | Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds | Bill Passed - House (39 - 30) |
| 3/20 | HB 1111 | Voter Identification Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| 3/20 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| 3/19 | HB 1248 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit | Veto Override Failed - House (27 - 40) |
| 3/19 | HB 1130 | Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| 3/19 | HB 1130 | Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |