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
May 31, 2012 IL HB 1447 Pension Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 2621 Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program Bill Passed - House (68 - 50)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 956 Regulates Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Loans and Lenders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 1525 Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
May 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
May 30, 2012 CA SB 1054 Requires Notifying Property Owners Prior to Hydraulic Fracturing Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
May 29, 2012 IL SB 2194 Increases Cigarette Tax Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 27)
May 29, 2012 CA AB 1534 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Dealers to Label Used Vehicles Bill Passed - House (42 - 32)
May 29, 2012 CA AB 1447 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
May 25, 2012 IL SB 2194 Increases Cigarette Tax Bill Passed - House (60 - 52)
May 24, 2012 IL SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13)
May 24, 2012 NJ S 1322 Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Bill Passed - House (45 - 33)
May 24, 2012 IL SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Bill Passed - House (94 - 22)
May 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2111 Prohibits Pharmaceutical Companies from Delaying the Release of Generic Drugs Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 67)
May 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2107 Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
May 23, 2012 IL SB 1849 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - House (69 - 47)
May 22, 2012 OH HB 322 Repeals Limits on Credit Card Interest Rates for Certain Banks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 30)
May 18, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Bill Passed - House (299 - 120)
May 18, 2012 National H Amdt 1140 Prohibits Reductions to Strategic Nuclear Arms Required by New START Amendment Adopted - House (238 - 162)
May 18, 2012 National H Amdt 1127 Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238)
May 17, 2012 National H Amdt 1103 Limits Funding for War in Afghanistan to the Withdrawal of U.S. Forces Amendment Rejected - House (113 - 303)
May 16, 2012 OH HB 322 Repeals Limits on Credit Card Interest Rates for Certain Banks Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
May 15, 2012 OH HB 99 Prohibits Texting While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 12)
May 15, 2012 MO SB 576 Authorizes the Expansion of Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (99 - 54)
May 15, 2012 National HR 2072 Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
May 15, 2012 CO HB 1005 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - House (38 - 24)
May 15, 2012 MA S Amdt 125 Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22)
May 14, 2012 LA HB 1072 Tax Incentives for a Franchise of the NBA Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
May 10, 2012 MN HF 2958 Authorizes New Viking Stadium Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 28)
May 10, 2012 IL SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20)
May 10, 2012 MI SB 1067 Personal Property Taxes: Continuation of Existing Exemptions for Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 10, 2012 MI SB 1070 Establishes a Tax Exemption for Eligible Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 10, 2012 MI SB 1069 Personal Property Taxes: Credit for New Industrial Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 10, 2012 National HR 5652 Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (218 - 199)
May 10, 2012 DE SB 205 Requires Manufactured Home Community Owners to Explain Rent Increases Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9)
May 10, 2012 MI SB 1072 Personal Property Taxes: Credit for Loss of Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
May 9, 2012 IA SF 2315 Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31)
May 9, 2012 MN HF 2958 Authorizes New Viking Stadium Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 60)
May 9, 2012 IL SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Bill Passed - House (74 - 43)
May 9, 2012 National HR 2072 Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (330 - 93)
May 9, 2012 RI S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
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 MN HF 1752 Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22)
May 7, 2012 IA HF 2475 Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes Bill Passed - House (71 - 26)
May 7, 2012 MN HF 1752 Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works Bill Passed - House (99 - 32)
May 7, 2012 MN HF 1485 Authorizes New Vikings Stadium Bill Passed - House (73 - 58)
May 3, 2012 HI SB 2785 Establishes Regulations for an Undersea Power Cable Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 3)
May 3, 2012 OH HB 99 Prohibits Texting While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
May 2, 2012 CO SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/31 HB 1447 Pension Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24)
5/31 SB 2621 Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program Bill Passed - House (68 - 50)
5/31 SB 956 Regulates Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Loans and Lenders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
5/31 SB 1525 Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
5/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
5/30 SB 1054 Requires Notifying Property Owners Prior to Hydraulic Fracturing Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
5/29 SB 2194 Increases Cigarette Tax Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 27)
5/29 AB 1534 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Dealers to Label Used Vehicles Bill Passed - House (42 - 32)
5/29 AB 1447 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
5/25 SB 2194 Increases Cigarette Tax Bill Passed - House (60 - 52)
5/24 SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13)
5/24 S 1322 Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Bill Passed - House (45 - 33)
5/24 SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Bill Passed - House (94 - 22)
5/24 S Amdt 2111 Prohibits Pharmaceutical Companies from Delaying the Release of Generic Drugs Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 67)
5/24 S Amdt 2107 Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
5/23 SB 1849 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - House (69 - 47)
5/22 HB 322 Repeals Limits on Credit Card Interest Rates for Certain Banks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 30)
5/18 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Bill Passed - House (299 - 120)
5/18 H Amdt 1140 Prohibits Reductions to Strategic Nuclear Arms Required by New START Amendment Adopted - House (238 - 162)
5/18 H Amdt 1127 Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238)
5/17 H Amdt 1103 Limits Funding for War in Afghanistan to the Withdrawal of U.S. Forces Amendment Rejected - House (113 - 303)
5/16 HB 322 Repeals Limits on Credit Card Interest Rates for Certain Banks Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
5/15 HB 99 Prohibits Texting While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 12)
5/15 SB 576 Authorizes the Expansion of Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (99 - 54)
5/15 HR 2072 Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
5/15 HB 1005 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - House (38 - 24)
5/15 S Amdt 125 Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22)
5/14 HB 1072 Tax Incentives for a Franchise of the NBA Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
5/10 HF 2958 Authorizes New Viking Stadium Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 28)
5/10 SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20)
5/10 SB 1067 Personal Property Taxes: Continuation of Existing Exemptions for Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/10 SB 1070 Establishes a Tax Exemption for Eligible Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/10 SB 1069 Personal Property Taxes: Credit for New Industrial Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/10 HR 5652 Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (218 - 199)
5/10 SB 205 Requires Manufactured Home Community Owners to Explain Rent Increases Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9)
5/10 SB 1072 Personal Property Taxes: Credit for Loss of Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
5/09 SF 2315 Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31)
5/09 HF 2958 Authorizes New Viking Stadium Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 60)
5/09 SB 1313 Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees Bill Passed - House (74 - 43)
5/09 HR 2072 Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (330 - 93)
5/09 S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
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 HF 1752 Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22)
5/07 HF 2475 Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes Bill Passed - House (71 - 26)
5/07 HF 1752 Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works Bill Passed - House (99 - 32)
5/07 HF 1485 Authorizes New Vikings Stadium Bill Passed - House (73 - 58)
5/03 SB 2785 Establishes Regulations for an Undersea Power Cable Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 3)
5/03 HB 99 Prohibits Texting While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
5/02 SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)

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