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 20, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| March 20, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| March 20, 2012 | CO | HB 1111 | Voter Identification Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| March 14, 2012 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
| March 14, 2012 | NY | A 9556 | Authorizes Casino Gambling | Amendment Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
| March 14, 2012 | NY | A 9556 | Authorizes Casino Gambling | Amendment Adopted - House (96 - 45) |
| March 8, 2012 | VA | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (66 - 31) |
| March 7, 2012 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 7, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| March 7, 2012 | GA | SB 469 | Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| March 6, 2012 | WI | AJR 63 | Limits Recalls of Elected Officials | Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37) |
| March 5, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2043 | Amends Requirements for Ballot Measures for Future Tax Increases | Resolution Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| March 1, 2012 | FL | HB 1209 | Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | IA | HJR 2009 | Prohibiting Mandatory Licensing and Registration of Guns | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | VA | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | CO | SB 147 | Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SB 386 | Removes Voter Registration at High Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | KY | HB 70 | Authorizes People Convicted of Certain Felonies to Vote | Bill Passed - House (78 - 18) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | AL | HB 159 | Authorizes Economic Development Incentive Program | Bill Passed - House (65 - 22) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | OK | SB 1433 | Defines life as beginning at conception | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | KY | SB 103 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | MI | SB 751 | Photo Identification Requirements for Absentee Voters | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | MI | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | MO | HB 1104 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (101 - 54) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | VA | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 3, 2012 | UT | HB 253 | Removal of Voters from Voter Registration List | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | VA | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| Jan. 30, 2012 | SD | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Jan. 25, 2012 | SD | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | NH | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/20 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| 3/20 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| 3/20 | HB 1111 | Voter Identification Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| 3/14 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
| 3/14 | A 9556 | Authorizes Casino Gambling | Amendment Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
| 3/14 | A 9556 | Authorizes Casino Gambling | Amendment Adopted - House (96 - 45) |
| 3/08 | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (66 - 31) |
| 3/07 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 3/07 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
| 3/07 | SB 469 | Prohibits Picketing in Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| 3/06 | AJR 63 | Limits Recalls of Elected Officials | Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37) |
| 3/05 | HCR 2043 | Amends Requirements for Ballot Measures for Future Tax Increases | Resolution Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| 3/01 | HB 1209 | Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
| 2/29 | HJR 2009 | Prohibiting Mandatory Licensing and Registration of Guns | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 37) |
| 2/28 | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/27 | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| 2/27 | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/23 | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/23 | SB 147 | Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/21 | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/21 | SB 386 | Removes Voter Registration at High Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/17 | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| 2/16 | HB 70 | Authorizes People Convicted of Certain Felonies to Vote | Bill Passed - House (78 - 18) |
| 2/16 | HB 159 | Authorizes Economic Development Incentive Program | Bill Passed - House (65 - 22) |
| 2/16 | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| 2/15 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/15 | SB 1433 | Defines life as beginning at conception | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| 2/14 | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 2/14 | SB 103 | Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| 2/14 | SB 751 | Photo Identification Requirements for Absentee Voters | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 2/14 | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 2/09 | HB 1104 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (101 - 54) |
| 2/06 | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/03 | HB 253 | Removal of Voters from Voter Registration List | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
| 2/01 | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| 1/30 | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 1/26 | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| 1/25 | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| 1/18 | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |