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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |