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
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)

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