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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 2012 | MN | SF 1694 | Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks | Veto Override Failed - Senate (37 - 29) |
| May 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 16) |
| May 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| May 3, 2012 | KS | HB 2333 | Amends State Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| May 3, 2012 | KS | King Amendment | Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20) |
| May 2, 2012 | AL | SB 513 | Authorizes Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 1, 2012 | MN | HF 2337 | Amends Property Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 57) |
| May 1, 2012 | CT | HB 5021 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| May 1, 2012 | CT | SB 79 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| April 30, 2012 | MS | SB 2576 | Amends worker's compensation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 30, 2012 | MS | SB 2576 | Amends worker's compensation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 30, 2012 | MS | SB 2576 | Amends worker's compensation | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 56) |
| April 30, 2012 | MS | SB 2576 | Amends worker's compensation | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 56) |
| 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 26, 2012 | CT | HB 5291 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (88 - 62) |
| April 26, 2012 | National | HR 3523 | Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (248 - 168) |
| April 26, 2012 | MO | HB 1540 | Prohibits Employees from Suing Co-Workers for Job Injuries | Bill Passed - House (99 - 47) |
| April 26, 2012 | CT | HB 5021 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays | Bill Passed - House (116 - 27) |
| April 26, 2012 | CT | HB 5291 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (88 - 62) |
| April 25, 2012 | OK | HB 2155 | Authorizes an Alternative Plan to the Worker's Compensation Program | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (42 - 50) |
| April 25, 2012 | National | S 1789 | United States Postal Service Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
| April 24, 2012 | MN | SF 1694 | Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 17) |
| April 23, 2012 | MN | SF 1694 | Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks | Bill Passed - House (77 - 50) |
| April 19, 2012 | AL | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - House (64 - 34) |
| April 19, 2012 | National | HR 9 | Income Tax Deduction for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (235 - 173) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/03 | SF 1694 | Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks | Veto Override Failed - Senate (37 - 29) |
| 5/03 | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 16) |
| 5/03 | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 5/03 | HB 2333 | Amends State Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 5/03 | King Amendment | Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 5/02 | SB 513 | Authorizes Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/01 | HF 2337 | Amends Property Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 57) |
| 5/01 | HB 5021 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 5/01 | SB 79 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 4/30 | SB 2576 | Amends worker's compensation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/30 | SB 2576 | Amends worker's compensation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/30 | SB 2576 | Amends worker's compensation | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 56) |
| 4/30 | SB 2576 | Amends worker's compensation | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 56) |
| 4/30 | AB 1960 | Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| 4/26 | HB 5291 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (88 - 62) |
| 4/26 | HR 3523 | Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (248 - 168) |
| 4/26 | HB 1540 | Prohibits Employees from Suing Co-Workers for Job Injuries | Bill Passed - House (99 - 47) |
| 4/26 | HB 5021 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays | Bill Passed - House (116 - 27) |
| 4/26 | HB 5291 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (88 - 62) |
| 4/25 | HB 2155 | Authorizes an Alternative Plan to the Worker's Compensation Program | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (42 - 50) |
| 4/25 | S 1789 | United States Postal Service Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
| 4/24 | SF 1694 | Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 17) |
| 4/23 | SF 1694 | Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks | Bill Passed - House (77 - 50) |
| 4/19 | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - House (64 - 34) |
| 4/19 | HR 9 | Income Tax Deduction for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (235 - 173) |