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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
June 2, 2011 CA SB 568 Recycling Polystyrene Food Containers Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
June 1, 2011 CA SB 914 Requires a Warrant to Search Cell Phones Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
May 31, 2011 CA SB 469 Requirements for Expansion by Large Retailers Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
May 9, 2011 CA SB 168 Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
April 25, 2011 CA SB 28 Penalties for Using Mobile Device When Driving Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
April 14, 2011 CA SB 48 Requires Teaching Gay History Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
March 31, 2011 CA SB 104 Labor Representatives Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
March 17, 2011 CA SB 70 Education Budget Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
March 17, 2011 CA AB 109 Criminal Justice Realignment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 24, 2011 CA SB 2 Increasing Renewable Energy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/02 SB 568 Recycling Polystyrene Food Containers Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
6/01 SB 914 Requires a Warrant to Search Cell Phones Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
5/31 SB 469 Requirements for Expansion by Large Retailers Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
5/09 SB 168 Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
4/25 SB 28 Penalties for Using Mobile Device When Driving Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
4/14 SB 48 Requires Teaching Gay History Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
3/31 SB 104 Labor Representatives Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
3/17 SB 70 Education Budget Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
3/17 AB 109 Criminal Justice Realignment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/24 SB 2 Increasing Renewable Energy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)

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