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
Aug. 2, 2012 National S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
July 18, 2012 MI SB 1130 Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
July 6, 2012 CA SB 1029 Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
July 2, 2012 CA SB 900 Establishes Regulations for Home Loans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13)
July 2, 2012 CA SB 900 Establishes Regulations for Home Loans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13)
July 2, 2012 CA AB 278 Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13)
July 2, 2012 CA AB 278 Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13)
June 29, 2012 PA HB 254 Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
June 27, 2012 MA H 4174 Authorizes Funds for State Transportation Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
June 27, 2012 DE HB 333 Authorizes Online Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
June 25, 2012 NJ S 1566 Authorizes the Conversion of Foreclosed Homes into Affordable Housing Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
June 21, 2012 National S Amdt 2372 Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43)
June 21, 2012 National S Amdt 2310 Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73)
June 21, 2012 National S 3240 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35)
June 19, 2012 National S Amdt 2181 Limits Farm Subsidies to Farmers with Incomes Under $250,000 Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 84)
June 19, 2012 National S Amdt 2156 Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66)
June 13, 2012 RI H 7909 Requires State Health Laws to Comply with the Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
June 13, 2012 RI H 7782 Regulates Auto Insurance Company Claims and Practices Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
June 13, 2012 National S Amdt 2393 Repeals Sugar Subsidies Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46)
June 12, 2012 RI S 2052 Homeless Bill of Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
June 6, 2012 NH HB 1490 Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1849 Expands Gambling Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 26)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21)
May 31, 2012 IL HB 1447 Pension Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/02 S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
7/18 SB 1130 Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
7/06 SB 1029 Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
7/02 SB 900 Establishes Regulations for Home Loans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13)
7/02 SB 900 Establishes Regulations for Home Loans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13)
7/02 AB 278 Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13)
7/02 AB 278 Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13)
6/29 HB 254 Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
6/27 H 4174 Authorizes Funds for State Transportation Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
6/27 HB 333 Authorizes Online Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
6/25 S 1566 Authorizes the Conversion of Foreclosed Homes into Affordable Housing Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
6/21 S Amdt 2372 Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43)
6/21 S Amdt 2310 Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73)
6/21 S 3240 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35)
6/19 S Amdt 2181 Limits Farm Subsidies to Farmers with Incomes Under $250,000 Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 84)
6/19 S Amdt 2156 Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66)
6/13 H 7909 Requires State Health Laws to Comply with the Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
6/13 H 7782 Regulates Auto Insurance Company Claims and Practices Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
6/13 S Amdt 2393 Repeals Sugar Subsidies Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46)
6/12 S 2052 Homeless Bill of Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2)
6/06 CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
6/06 HB 1490 Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
5/31 SB 1849 Expands Gambling Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 26)
5/31 SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21)
5/31 HB 1447 Pension Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24)

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