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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 17, 2012 NJ S 581 Establishes Tax Credits for Investors in Small Business Technology Bill Passed - House (47 - 30)
Dec. 4, 2012 IL SB 681 Authorizes State Residents To Purchase Ammunition From In-State Companies Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 28)
Dec. 3, 2012 NJ A 2162 Increases Minimum Wage Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 31)
Dec. 3, 2012 NJ A 2162 Increases Minimum Wage Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 31)
Oct. 17, 2012 PA HB 2626 Authorizes Employers to Keep Income Taxes Paid by their Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (111 - 80)
Aug. 31, 2012 CA AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33)
Aug. 31, 2012 CA AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA AB 889 Establishes Work Condition Requirements for Domestic Work Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 30)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA AB 2132 Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA AB 2346 Authorizes Farm Workers to Sue Employers for Health or Safety Violations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA AB 2327 Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 18)
Aug. 13, 2012 CA AB 1500 Corporate Tax Rates and Middle Class Scholarship Fund Bill Passed - House (54 - 25)
July 31, 2012 MA S 2400 Establishes Accountable Care Organizations Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20)
July 31, 2012 MA S 2400 Establishes Accountable Care Organizations Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20)
July 26, 2012 National HR 4078 Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 172)
June 19, 2012 DE SB 205 Requires Manufactured Home Community Owners to Explain Rent Increases Bill Failed - House (14 - 22)
June 11, 2012 RI S 2374 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (60 - 8)
June 11, 2012 RI S 2374 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (60 - 8)
June 8, 2012 RI H 7323 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (57 - 15)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1064 Prohibits Private Security Services in Detention Centers Bill Failed - House (57 - 58)
May 31, 2012 CA AB 2312 Regulations for Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - House (41 - 30)
May 30, 2012 LA HB 61 Amends State Workers Pensions Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 36)
May 30, 2012 IL SB 3442 Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags Bill Passed - House (72 - 44)
May 30, 2012 CA AB 1450 Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Workers Bill Passed - House (51 - 26)
May 29, 2012 CA AB 1447 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/17 S 581 Establishes Tax Credits for Investors in Small Business Technology Bill Passed - House (47 - 30)
12/04 SB 681 Authorizes State Residents To Purchase Ammunition From In-State Companies Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 28)
12/03 A 2162 Increases Minimum Wage Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 31)
12/03 A 2162 Increases Minimum Wage Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 31)
10/17 HB 2626 Authorizes Employers to Keep Income Taxes Paid by their Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (111 - 80)
8/31 AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33)
8/31 AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33)
8/30 AB 889 Establishes Work Condition Requirements for Domestic Work Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 30)
8/29 AB 2132 Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
8/29 AB 2346 Authorizes Farm Workers to Sue Employers for Health or Safety Violations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33)
8/27 AB 2327 Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 18)
8/13 AB 1500 Corporate Tax Rates and Middle Class Scholarship Fund Bill Passed - House (54 - 25)
7/31 S 2400 Establishes Accountable Care Organizations Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20)
7/31 S 2400 Establishes Accountable Care Organizations Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20)
7/26 HR 4078 Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 172)
6/19 SB 205 Requires Manufactured Home Community Owners to Explain Rent Increases Bill Failed - House (14 - 22)
6/11 S 2374 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (60 - 8)
6/11 S 2374 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (60 - 8)
6/08 H 7323 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (57 - 15)
5/31 SB 1064 Prohibits Private Security Services in Detention Centers Bill Failed - House (57 - 58)
5/31 AB 2312 Regulations for Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - House (41 - 30)
5/30 HB 61 Amends State Workers Pensions Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 36)
5/30 SB 3442 Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags Bill Passed - House (72 - 44)
5/30 AB 1450 Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Workers Bill Passed - House (51 - 26)
5/29 AB 1447 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)

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