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 15, 2012 | ID | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | ID | HJM 10 | Urges Congress to Pass Rights of Conscience Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (53 - 15) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | ID | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| March 16, 2011 | ID | H 222 | Authorizes Guns on Campus | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | ID | H 111 | Increased Authority for Tribal Peace Officers | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | ID | HJM 1 | Parental Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | ID | H 26 | Increment in fees for felonies and misdemeanors | Bill Failed - House (31 - 35) |
| March 26, 2010 | ID | H 729 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| March 9, 2010 | ID | H 589 | Federal Arms Regulation Exemption | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| March 1, 2010 | ID | H 496 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (64 - 6) |
| April 7, 2009 | ID | H 138 | Allowing Lawsuits for Nonnative Species Attacks | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| March 20, 2009 | ID | H 214 | Voluntary Death Certificates for Miscarriages | Bill Failed - House (31 - 32) |
| March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1441 | Prohibiting Local Gun Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (60 - 9) |
| March 10, 2008 | ID | H 592 | Film and Television Production Rebate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | ID | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | ID | H 348 | Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | ID | H 366 | Driver's License Residency Requirement | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| March 28, 2007 | ID | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Veto Override Passed - House (57 - 13) |
| March 19, 2007 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (46 - 20) |
| March 5, 2007 | ID | HCR 18 | Early Childhood Learning Standards | Resolution Failed - House (27 - 43) |
| Feb. 23, 2007 | ID | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Bill Passed - House (48 - 17) |
| March 22, 2006 | ID | H 777 | Serving Alcohol in Movie Theaters | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| March 22, 2006 | ID | H 777 | Serving Alcohol in Movie Theaters | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| March 6, 2006 | ID | H 630 | School Grounds - Violence | Bill Passed - House (49 - 12) |
| March 6, 2006 | ID | H 630 | School Grounds - Violence | Bill Passed - House (49 - 12) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | ID | H 582 | Breathalyzer Refusal Penalty | Bill Passed - House (47 - 19) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | ID | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | ID | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | ID | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/15 | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
| 2/23 | HJM 10 | Urges Congress to Pass Rights of Conscience Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (53 - 15) |
| 2/17 | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| 1/26 | H 404 | Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| 3/16 | H 222 | Authorizes Guns on Campus | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| 2/17 | H 111 | Increased Authority for Tribal Peace Officers | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| 2/07 | HJM 1 | Parental Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 2/01 | H 26 | Increment in fees for felonies and misdemeanors | Bill Failed - House (31 - 35) |
| 3/26 | H 729 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| 3/09 | H 589 | Federal Arms Regulation Exemption | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| 3/01 | H 496 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (64 - 6) |
| 4/07 | H 138 | Allowing Lawsuits for Nonnative Species Attacks | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 3/20 | H 214 | Voluntary Death Certificates for Miscarriages | Bill Failed - House (31 - 32) |
| 3/19 | S 1441 | Prohibiting Local Gun Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (60 - 9) |
| 3/10 | H 592 | Film and Television Production Rebate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/26 | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 2/18 | H 348 | Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| 2/04 | H 366 | Driver's License Residency Requirement | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| 3/28 | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Veto Override Passed - House (57 - 13) |
| 3/19 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (46 - 20) |
| 3/05 | HCR 18 | Early Childhood Learning Standards | Resolution Failed - House (27 - 43) |
| 2/23 | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Bill Passed - House (48 - 17) |
| 3/22 | H 777 | Serving Alcohol in Movie Theaters | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| 3/22 | H 777 | Serving Alcohol in Movie Theaters | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| 3/06 | H 630 | School Grounds - Violence | Bill Passed - House (49 - 12) |
| 3/06 | H 630 | School Grounds - Violence | Bill Passed - House (49 - 12) |
| 2/22 | H 582 | Breathalyzer Refusal Penalty | Bill Passed - House (47 - 19) |
| 2/06 | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| 2/06 | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| 2/06 | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |