Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
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)

arrow_upward