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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 5, 2013 | AR | SB 134 | Prohibits Abortion if Fetal Heartbeat Detected | Veto Override Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | AR | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | AR | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Bill Passed - House (68 - 20) |
| Feb. 18, 2013 | AR | HB 1295 | Establishes Tiered System for Lottery Scholarships | Bill Passed - House (69 - 21) |
| Feb. 4, 2013 | AR | HB 1100 | Prohibits Abortion Coverage on the State Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - House (77 - 15) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | AR | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| March 31, 2011 | AR | HB 1226 | 2011-2012 State Insurance Department Budget | Bill Passed - House (83 - 7) |
| March 29, 2011 | AR | HB 1226 | 2011-2012 State Insurance Department Budget | Bill Failed - House (53 - 41) |
| March 24, 2011 | AR | HB 1902 | Highway Financing Act 0f 2011 | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 23, 2011 | AR | HB 2007 | Requires Driver's License Exams to be in English Only | Bill Failed - House (49 - 37) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 9) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| Jan. 31, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
| Jan. 27, 2011 | AR | SB 113 | Prohibit Abortion Health Care Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| March 13, 2009 | AR | SB 239 | Authorization for Unlicensed Assistants to Perform Simple Medical Procedures | Bill Passed - House (59 - 29) |
| March 9, 2009 | AR | HB 1700 | Expanding Eligibility for Children's Health Insurance Program | Bill Passed - House (82 - 14) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | AR | SB 78 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (60 - 31) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | AR | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | AR | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | AR | HB 1013 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (78 - 12) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | AR | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| April 2, 2008 | AR | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (82 - 17) |
| April 2, 2008 | AR | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| April 2, 2008 | AR | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (82 - 17) |
| April 1, 2008 | AR | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| April 1, 2008 | AR | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| April 1, 2008 | AR | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| Jan. 29, 2007 | AR | HB 1173 | Reversal of the BMI Report Card Requirement | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| Jan. 29, 2007 | AR | HB 1173 | Reversal of the BMI Report Card Requirement | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| April 21, 2006 | AR | SB 16 | Science Specialist Program Funding Line Item Veto | Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 13) |
| April 7, 2006 | AR | SB 27 | Educational Adequacy Act of 2006 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| April 7, 2006 | AR | SB 21 | Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| April 7, 2006 | AR | SB 24 | Additional Education Funding Act | Bill Passed - House (83 - 8) |
| April 7, 2006 | AR | SB 27 | Educational Adequacy Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (79 - 17) |
| April 6, 2006 | AR | SB 19 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (63 - 32) |
| April 6, 2006 | AR | SB 18 | Property Tax Interest | Bill Failed - House (46 - 46) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/05 | SB 134 | Prohibits Abortion if Fetal Heartbeat Detected | Veto Override Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 2/28 | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/21 | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Bill Passed - House (68 - 20) |
| 2/18 | HB 1295 | Establishes Tiered System for Lottery Scholarships | Bill Passed - House (69 - 21) |
| 2/04 | HB 1100 | Prohibits Abortion Coverage on the State Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - House (77 - 15) |
| 1/31 | SB 134 | Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 3/31 | HB 1226 | 2011-2012 State Insurance Department Budget | Bill Passed - House (83 - 7) |
| 3/29 | HB 1226 | 2011-2012 State Insurance Department Budget | Bill Failed - House (53 - 41) |
| 3/24 | HB 1902 | Highway Financing Act 0f 2011 | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 3/23 | HB 2007 | Requires Driver's License Exams to be in English Only | Bill Failed - House (49 - 37) |
| 2/16 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 9) |
| 2/15 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| 2/02 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 2/01 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| 1/31 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
| 1/27 | SB 113 | Prohibit Abortion Health Care Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 3/13 | SB 239 | Authorization for Unlicensed Assistants to Perform Simple Medical Procedures | Bill Passed - House (59 - 29) |
| 3/09 | HB 1700 | Expanding Eligibility for Children's Health Insurance Program | Bill Passed - House (82 - 14) |
| 2/25 | SB 78 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (60 - 31) |
| 2/12 | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 2/05 | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| 1/29 | HB 1013 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (78 - 12) |
| 1/28 | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| 4/02 | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (82 - 17) |
| 4/02 | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| 4/02 | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (82 - 17) |
| 4/01 | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 4/01 | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| 4/01 | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 1/29 | HB 1173 | Reversal of the BMI Report Card Requirement | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| 1/29 | HB 1173 | Reversal of the BMI Report Card Requirement | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| 4/21 | SB 16 | Science Specialist Program Funding Line Item Veto | Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 13) |
| 4/07 | SB 27 | Educational Adequacy Act of 2006 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| 4/07 | SB 21 | Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| 4/07 | SB 24 | Additional Education Funding Act | Bill Passed - House (83 - 8) |
| 4/07 | SB 27 | Educational Adequacy Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (79 - 17) |
| 4/06 | SB 19 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (63 - 32) |
| 4/06 | SB 18 | Property Tax Interest | Bill Failed - House (46 - 46) |