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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 5, 2012 | CA | AB 1081 | Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| June 27, 2012 | DE | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| June 21, 2012 | NJ | S 2001 | Expands Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| June 14, 2012 | CA | AB 2127 | Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| June 13, 2012 | MI | SB 803 | Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| June 13, 2012 | MI | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| June 13, 2012 | DE | SB 204 | Extends the Gun Buy-back Program | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
| June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 5) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1849 | Expands Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 26) |
| May 31, 2012 | NJ | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 31, 2012 | NJ | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1140 | Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1140 | Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1140 | Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1506 | Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1525 | Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| May 30, 2012 | CA | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 30, 2012 | CA | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| May 29, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| May 29, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| May 24, 2012 | IL | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/05 | AB 1081 | Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 6/27 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| 6/27 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| 6/27 | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| 6/21 | S 2001 | Expands Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 6/14 | AB 2127 | Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 6/13 | SB 803 | Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 6/13 | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 6/13 | SB 204 | Extends the Gun Buy-back Program | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13) |
| 6/06 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
| 6/06 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 5) |
| 5/31 | SB 1849 | Expands Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 26) |
| 5/31 | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 5/31 | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 5/31 | SB 1140 | Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 5/31 | SB 1140 | Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 5/31 | SB 1140 | Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 5/31 | SB 1506 | Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
| 5/31 | SB 1525 | Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 5/30 | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/30 | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 5/29 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| 5/29 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| 5/24 | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13) |
| 5/24 | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |