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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
June 15, 2012 CA AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
June 15, 2012 CA AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
June 14, 2012 MI SB 1040 Amends Teacher Pension Plans Bill Passed - House (57 - 47)
June 13, 2012 National S Amdt 2392 Reduces Funding for Food Stamps Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33)
June 13, 2012 DE SB 204 Extends the Gun Buy-back Program Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13)
June 11, 2012 RI H 7323 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
June 8, 2012 RI H 7323 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (57 - 15)
June 7, 2012 MI HB 5223 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (71 - 37)
June 7, 2012 National HR 5855 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2013 Bill Passed - House (234 - 182)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Rejected - House (224 - 144)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
June 6, 2012 PA SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - House (129 - 67)
June 5, 2012 PA SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
June 5, 2012 MA S 2270 Reduces Health Care Spending Bill Passed - House (148 - 7)
June 5, 2012 NC H Amdt 2 Limits Compensation for Eugenics Patients Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 85)
June 5, 2012 NC HB 947 Authorizes Compensation for Eugenics Patients Bill Passed - House (86 - 31)
May 31, 2012 MI HB 5365 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 16)
May 31, 2012 MI HB 5365 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (61 - 49)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21)
May 31, 2012 IL HB 5440 Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Bill Passed - House (61 - 56)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 2621 Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program Bill Passed - House (68 - 50)
May 31, 2012 National H Amdt 1160 Project Labor Agreements Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 198)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/15 AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
6/15 AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
6/14 SB 1040 Amends Teacher Pension Plans Bill Passed - House (57 - 47)
6/13 S Amdt 2392 Reduces Funding for Food Stamps Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33)
6/13 SB 204 Extends the Gun Buy-back Program Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13)
6/11 H 7323 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
6/08 H 7323 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (57 - 15)
6/07 HB 5223 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (71 - 37)
6/07 HR 5855 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2013 Bill Passed - House (234 - 182)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132)
6/06 CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Rejected - House (224 - 144)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
6/06 CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
6/06 SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - House (129 - 67)
6/05 SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
6/05 S 2270 Reduces Health Care Spending Bill Passed - House (148 - 7)
6/05 H Amdt 2 Limits Compensation for Eugenics Patients Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 85)
6/05 HB 947 Authorizes Compensation for Eugenics Patients Bill Passed - House (86 - 31)
5/31 HB 5365 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 16)
5/31 HB 5365 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (61 - 49)
5/31 SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21)
5/31 HB 5440 Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27)
5/31 SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Bill Passed - House (61 - 56)
5/31 SB 2621 Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program Bill Passed - House (68 - 50)
5/31 H Amdt 1160 Project Labor Agreements Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 198)

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