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 7, 2012 | GA | SB 312 | Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
| March 5, 2012 | WY | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | SB 1083 | Establishes the Arizona Special Missions Unit | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | CO | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | WY | SF 59 | Limits Cost-of-Living Adjustments to State Employee Retirement Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | VA | SB 30 | 2012-2014 Biennium Budget | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | MS | HCR 33 | Amends the State Budget Process | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | FL | SB 2038 | Private Correctional Facilities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | CA | SB 81 | Funding For School Transportation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | CA | SB 95 | Increase State's Ability to Borrow | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1472 | Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/07 | SB 312 | Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
| 3/05 | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| 3/01 | SB 1083 | Establishes the Arizona Special Missions Unit | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 2/29 | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 2/28 | SF 59 | Limits Cost-of-Living Adjustments to State Employee Retirement Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 2/28 | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 2/27 | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 2/23 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| 2/23 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| 2/23 | SB 30 | 2012-2014 Biennium Budget | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| 2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| 2/15 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/15 | HCR 33 | Amends the State Budget Process | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 2/14 | SB 2038 | Private Correctional Facilities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| 2/02 | SB 81 | Funding For School Transportation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/02 | SB 95 | Increase State's Ability to Borrow | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 1472 | Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
| 1/26 | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |