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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 19, 2012 | CT | SB 245 | Authorizes People to Record Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| April 11, 2012 | ME | LD 1810 | Regulatory Takings | Bill Passed - House (74 - 72) |
| April 9, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15) |
| April 5, 2012 | CO | HB 1271 | Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| April 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| April 3, 2012 | AL | SB 396 | Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 28, 2012 | ID | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 26, 2012 | ID | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
| March 19, 2012 | CO | HB 1271 | Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| March 8, 2012 | MO | HB 1219 | Workplace Discrimination Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| March 7, 2012 | MO | SB 572 | Amends Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - House (87 - 68) |
| March 6, 2012 | AZ | SB 1359 | Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| March 5, 2012 | IA | SF 2304 | Requires DNA Samples from all Individuals Convicted of Certain Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | FL | HB 609 | Prohibits Unpaid Wage Collection Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (77 - 38) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | UT | HB 316 | Extends Waiting Period for Divorce | Bill Passed - House (43 - 26) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SB 1336 | Limiting Manufacturer Eligibility for Punitive Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | FL | HB 549 | Amends Alimony Provisions | Bill Passed - House (83 - 30) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | MO | SB 572 | Amends Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | CO | SB 20 | Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | MO | HB 1219 | Workplace Discrimination Amendments | Bill Passed - House (89 - 68) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | MO | SB 592 | Limits Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| Jan. 30, 2012 | CA | AB 327 | Amends Three Strikes Law | Bill Failed - House (33 - 35) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/19 | SB 245 | Authorizes People to Record Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 4/11 | LD 1810 | Regulatory Takings | Bill Passed - House (74 - 72) |
| 4/09 | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15) |
| 4/05 | HB 1271 | Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 4/03 | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 4/03 | SB 396 | Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 3/28 | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/26 | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
| 3/19 | HB 1271 | Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 3/08 | HB 1219 | Workplace Discrimination Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 3/07 | SB 572 | Amends Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - House (87 - 68) |
| 3/06 | SB 1359 | Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 3/05 | SF 2304 | Requires DNA Samples from all Individuals Convicted of Certain Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| 2/29 | HB 609 | Prohibits Unpaid Wage Collection Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (77 - 38) |
| 2/28 | HB 316 | Extends Waiting Period for Divorce | Bill Passed - House (43 - 26) |
| 2/28 | SB 1336 | Limiting Manufacturer Eligibility for Punitive Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 2/23 | HB 549 | Amends Alimony Provisions | Bill Passed - House (83 - 30) |
| 2/16 | SB 572 | Amends Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/14 | SB 20 | Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 2/09 | HB 1219 | Workplace Discrimination Amendments | Bill Passed - House (89 - 68) |
| 2/08 | SB 592 | Limits Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 1/30 | AB 327 | Amends Three Strikes Law | Bill Failed - House (33 - 35) |