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 2, 2012 CO SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
April 28, 2012 MN HF 2795 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
April 25, 2012 AZ SB 1332 Requires the Federal Government to Give Back Land to Arizona Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
April 24, 2012 AZ SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
April 24, 2012 IA HF 2460 Limits Tax Increment Financing Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
April 20, 2012 KY HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
April 18, 2012 AZ HB 2154 Requires Car Seats for Certain Children Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
April 18, 2012 NY S 1707A Authorizes Professional Mixed Martial Arts Events Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 14)
April 14, 2012 ME LD 1913 Worker's Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 12, 2012 AZ HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
April 11, 2012 WA SB 5940 Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20)
April 11, 2012 NE LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
April 11, 2012 NE LB 1161 Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
April 9, 2012 AK SB 203 Establishes an Energy Assistance Program Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4)
April 5, 2012 AZ HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
April 5, 2012 MD HB 443 Establishes State Health Insurance Exchanges Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
April 3, 2012 AZ HB 2348 Prohibits Cell Phone Use by Teens While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
March 30, 2012 KY SB 3 Limits Over-the-Counter Purchases of Cold Medicine Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
March 29, 2012 National S 2204 Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
March 29, 2012 MO SB 749 Authorizes Employers to Exempt Contraception from Healthcare Coverage (26 - 5)
March 28, 2012 MI SB 291 Repeals Motorcycle Helmet Law Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
March 27, 2012 MD SB 892 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
March 26, 2012 ID H 542 Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
March 23, 2012 ID S 1274 Prohibits Texting While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
March 23, 2012 ID H 619 Prohibits Speed Limit Regulation by Local Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/02 SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
4/28 HF 2795 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
4/25 SB 1332 Requires the Federal Government to Give Back Land to Arizona Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
4/24 SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
4/24 HF 2460 Limits Tax Increment Financing Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
4/20 HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
4/18 HB 2154 Requires Car Seats for Certain Children Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
4/18 S 1707A Authorizes Professional Mixed Martial Arts Events Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 14)
4/14 LD 1913 Worker's Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/12 HB 2729 Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
4/11 SB 5940 Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20)
4/11 LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
4/11 LB 1161 Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
4/09 SB 203 Establishes an Energy Assistance Program Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4)
4/05 HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
4/05 HB 443 Establishes State Health Insurance Exchanges Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
4/03 HB 2348 Prohibits Cell Phone Use by Teens While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
3/30 SB 3 Limits Over-the-Counter Purchases of Cold Medicine Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
3/29 S 2204 Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
3/29 SB 749 Authorizes Employers to Exempt Contraception from Healthcare Coverage (26 - 5)
3/28 SB 291 Repeals Motorcycle Helmet Law Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
3/27 SB 892 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
3/26 H 542 Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
3/23 S 1274 Prohibits Texting While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
3/23 H 619 Prohibits Speed Limit Regulation by Local Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)

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