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 30, 2012 | NC | HB 950 | 2012-2013 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (73 - 46) |
| May 24, 2012 | IL | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13) |
| May 24, 2012 | OK | SB 1975 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 42) |
| May 24, 2012 | IL | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - House (94 - 22) |
| May 24, 2012 | OK | SB 1975 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Failed - House (47 - 47) |
| May 22, 2012 | OK | SB 1975 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| May 17, 2012 | LA | HB 822 | Authorizes the Transfer of Funds Among State Agencies | Bill Passed - House (63 - 38) |
| May 17, 2012 | MI | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| May 16, 2012 | AL | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 6) |
| May 16, 2012 | AL | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (77 - 28) |
| May 16, 2012 | MD | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - House (86 - 51) |
| May 15, 2012 | MD | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| May 10, 2012 | National | HR 5652 | Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 199) |
| May 10, 2012 | National | HR 5652 | Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 199) |
| May 9, 2012 | IA | SF 2315 | Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31) |
| May 8, 2012 | MN | HF 1752 | Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (97 - 33) |
| May 8, 2012 | IA | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| May 7, 2012 | KS | SB 313 | Prohibits Certain Abortion-Related Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (88 - 31) |
| May 7, 2012 | MN | HF 1752 | Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22) |
| May 7, 2012 | MN | HF 1752 | Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works | Bill Passed - House (99 - 32) |
| April 25, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 804.1 | Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards | Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33) |
| April 25, 2012 | OH | HB 487 | Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 34) |
| April 25, 2012 | National | S 1789 | United States Postal Service Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
| April 24, 2012 | AZ | HB 2800 | Prohibits State Funding for Abortion Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
| April 12, 2012 | IA | S 5206 | Prohibits State Funding For Abortions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 25) |
| April 11, 2012 | WA | HB 2127 | Authorizes Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (64 - 34) |
| April 11, 2012 | WA | SB 5940 | Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (53 - 45) |
| April 11, 2012 | WA | SB 5940 | Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| April 10, 2012 | WA | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | (56 - 42) |
| April 10, 2012 | HI | SB 2115 | Amends Charter School System | Bill Passed - House (40 - 11) |
| April 10, 2012 | WA | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| April 10, 2012 | AL | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (56 - 47) |
| April 10, 2012 | CO | SB 68 | Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 9, 2012 | AK | SB 203 | Establishes an Energy Assistance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| April 7, 2012 | WA | SB 6636 | Requires a Balanced Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 60) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 60) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
| March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 797 | Establishes a State Charter School Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (117 - 55) |
| March 29, 2012 | National | H Con Res 112 | Limits Federal Appropriations for Fiscal Years 2013-2022 ("Ryan Budget") | Joint Resolution Passed - House (228 - 191) |
| March 28, 2012 | AZ | SB 1118 | Appropriates Funds for Forest Restoration | Bill Failed - House (18 - 40) |
| March 28, 2012 | ID | H 660 | Amends the Judicial Retirement Fund | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| March 28, 2012 | AZ | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| March 28, 2012 | ID | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 1658 | Establishes a Verification System to Detect Welfare Fraud | Bill Passed - House (245 - 84) |
| March 26, 2012 | MN | HF 545 | Requires State Budget to Include Federal Insolvency Contingency Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 60) |
| March 26, 2012 | GA | HB 797 | Establishes a State Charter School Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| March 26, 2012 | ID | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
| March 26, 2012 | IL | HB 5789 | Establishes State Park Fees | Bill Passed - House (81 - 29) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/30 | HB 950 | 2012-2013 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (73 - 46) |
| 5/24 | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13) |
| 5/24 | SB 1975 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 42) |
| 5/24 | SB 2840 | Limits Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - House (94 - 22) |
| 5/24 | SB 1975 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Failed - House (47 - 47) |
| 5/22 | SB 1975 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 5/17 | HB 822 | Authorizes the Transfer of Funds Among State Agencies | Bill Passed - House (63 - 38) |
| 5/17 | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 5/16 | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 6) |
| 5/16 | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (77 - 28) |
| 5/16 | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - House (86 - 51) |
| 5/15 | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 5/10 | HR 5652 | Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 199) |
| 5/10 | HR 5652 | Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 199) |
| 5/09 | SF 2315 | Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31) |
| 5/08 | HF 1752 | Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (97 - 33) |
| 5/08 | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 5/07 | SB 313 | Prohibits Certain Abortion-Related Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (88 - 31) |
| 5/07 | HF 1752 | Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22) |
| 5/07 | HF 1752 | Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works | Bill Passed - House (99 - 32) |
| 4/25 | H Amdt 804.1 | Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards | Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33) |
| 4/25 | HB 487 | Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 34) |
| 4/25 | S 1789 | United States Postal Service Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
| 4/24 | HB 2800 | Prohibits State Funding for Abortion Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
| 4/12 | S 5206 | Prohibits State Funding For Abortions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 25) |
| 4/11 | HB 2127 | Authorizes Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (64 - 34) |
| 4/11 | SB 5940 | Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (53 - 45) |
| 4/11 | SB 5940 | Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 4/10 | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | (56 - 42) |
| 4/10 | SB 2115 | Amends Charter School System | Bill Passed - House (40 - 11) |
| 4/10 | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 4/10 | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (56 - 47) |
| 4/10 | SB 68 | Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 4/09 | SB 203 | Establishes an Energy Assistance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| 4/07 | SB 6636 | Requires a Balanced Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 60) |
| 3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 60) |
| 3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
| 3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
| 3/29 | HB 797 | Establishes a State Charter School Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (117 - 55) |
| 3/29 | H Con Res 112 | Limits Federal Appropriations for Fiscal Years 2013-2022 ("Ryan Budget") | Joint Resolution Passed - House (228 - 191) |
| 3/28 | SB 1118 | Appropriates Funds for Forest Restoration | Bill Failed - House (18 - 40) |
| 3/28 | H 660 | Amends the Judicial Retirement Fund | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| 3/28 | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 3/28 | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/28 | HB 1658 | Establishes a Verification System to Detect Welfare Fraud | Bill Passed - House (245 - 84) |
| 3/26 | HF 545 | Requires State Budget to Include Federal Insolvency Contingency Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 60) |
| 3/26 | HB 797 | Establishes a State Charter School Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| 3/26 | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
| 3/26 | HB 5789 | Establishes State Park Fees | Bill Passed - House (81 - 29) |