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
Sept. 20, 2012 National H J Res 118 Congressional Disapproval of Department of Health and Human Services Rule to Waive Certain Requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) Joint Resolution Passed - House (250 - 164)
Sept. 13, 2012 National HR 6365 National Security and Job Protection Act Bill Passed - House (223 - 196)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA AB 1478 Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 20)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA AB 1640 Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 26)
Aug. 15, 2012 MI SB 1040 Amends Teacher Pension Plans Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 48)
July 5, 2012 CA SB 1029 Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail Bill Passed - House (52 - 28)
July 2, 2012 NC HB 950 2012-2013 Budget Amendments Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 45)
June 30, 2012 PA HB 1261 Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 91)
June 28, 2012 PA SB 1466 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (120 - 81)
June 21, 2012 NC HB 950 2012-2013 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 45)
June 15, 2012 CA AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 28)
June 15, 2012 CA AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 28)
June 14, 2012 MI SB 1040 Amends Teacher Pension Plans Bill Passed - House (57 - 47)
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 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 Rejected - House (220 - 132)
June 6, 2012 PA SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - House (129 - 67)
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 - House (61 - 49)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/20 H J Res 118 Congressional Disapproval of Department of Health and Human Services Rule to Waive Certain Requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) Joint Resolution Passed - House (250 - 164)
9/13 HR 6365 National Security and Job Protection Act Bill Passed - House (223 - 196)
8/30 AB 1478 Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 20)
8/27 AB 1640 Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 26)
8/15 SB 1040 Amends Teacher Pension Plans Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 48)
7/05 SB 1029 Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail Bill Passed - House (52 - 28)
7/02 HB 950 2012-2013 Budget Amendments Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 45)
6/30 HB 1261 Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 91)
6/28 SB 1466 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (120 - 81)
6/21 HB 950 2012-2013 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 45)
6/15 AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 28)
6/15 AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 28)
6/14 SB 1040 Amends Teacher Pension Plans Bill Passed - House (57 - 47)
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 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Rejected - House (224 - 144)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Rejected - House (220 - 132)
6/06 SB 1310 Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government Concurrence Vote Passed - House (129 - 67)
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 - House (61 - 49)
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)

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