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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2012 | LA | HB 380 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (65 - 26) |
| May 14, 2012 | LA | HB 1072 | Tax Incentives for a Franchise of the NBA | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| May 10, 2012 | LA | SB 740 | Limits Cost of Living Adjustments for Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 2, 2012 | LA | HB 695 | Prohibits the Use of Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (68 - 29) |
| April 30, 2012 | LA | HB 1072 | Tax Incentives for a Franchise of the NBA | Bill Passed - House (60 - 41) |
| April 9, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| April 5, 2012 | LA | HB 974 | Amends Teacher Tenure Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 43) |
| April 5, 2012 | LA | HB 976 | Amends School Voucher Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 43) |
| April 4, 2012 | LA | HB 974 | Amends Teacher Tenure Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| April 4, 2012 | LA | HB 976 | Amends School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| April 4, 2012 | LA | HB 209 | Reduces Voting Hours | Bill Passed - House (60 - 41) |
| March 27, 2012 | LA | HB 969 | Establishes Tax Deductions for Donating to Scholarship Programs | Bill Passed - House (66 - 37) |
| March 23, 2012 | LA | HB 974 | Amends Teacher Tenure Policy | Bill Passed - House (64 - 40) |
| March 22, 2012 | LA | HB 976 | Amends School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - House (62 - 43) |
| June 23, 2011 | LA | SB 259 | Establishes a Commission to Repeal Income Taxes | Motion Rejected - House (46 - 32) |
| June 21, 2011 | LA | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| June 19, 2011 | LA | HB 342 | Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| June 16, 2011 | LA | HB 591 | Permanent Cigarette Tax | Veto Override Failed - House (58 - 44) |
| June 14, 2011 | LA | SB 6 | Teacher Retirement | Bill Passed - House (57 - 28) |
| June 9, 2011 | LA | HB 338 | Prohibits Handheld Cellular Devices While Driving | Bill Failed - House (33 - 55) |
| June 7, 2011 | LA | HB 138 | Parole Eligibility for Elderly Inmates | Bill Passed - House (65 - 25) |
| June 2, 2011 | LA | HB 591 | Permanent Cigarette Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| June 1, 2011 | LA | SB 133 | Amends the Smoke-free Air Act | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 22) |
| May 31, 2011 | LA | SB 108 | Limits Tax and Bond Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 25, 2011 | LA | SB 6 | Teacher Retirement | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/15 | HB 380 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (65 - 26) |
| 5/14 | HB 1072 | Tax Incentives for a Franchise of the NBA | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 5/10 | SB 740 | Limits Cost of Living Adjustments for Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 5/02 | HB 695 | Prohibits the Use of Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (68 - 29) |
| 4/30 | HB 1072 | Tax Incentives for a Franchise of the NBA | Bill Passed - House (60 - 41) |
| 4/09 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 4/05 | HB 974 | Amends Teacher Tenure Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 43) |
| 4/05 | HB 976 | Amends School Voucher Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 43) |
| 4/04 | HB 974 | Amends Teacher Tenure Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 4/04 | HB 976 | Amends School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 4/04 | HB 209 | Reduces Voting Hours | Bill Passed - House (60 - 41) |
| 3/27 | HB 969 | Establishes Tax Deductions for Donating to Scholarship Programs | Bill Passed - House (66 - 37) |
| 3/23 | HB 974 | Amends Teacher Tenure Policy | Bill Passed - House (64 - 40) |
| 3/22 | HB 976 | Amends School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - House (62 - 43) |
| 6/23 | SB 259 | Establishes a Commission to Repeal Income Taxes | Motion Rejected - House (46 - 32) |
| 6/21 | HB 7 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 6/19 | HB 342 | Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 6/16 | HB 591 | Permanent Cigarette Tax | Veto Override Failed - House (58 - 44) |
| 6/14 | SB 6 | Teacher Retirement | Bill Passed - House (57 - 28) |
| 6/09 | HB 338 | Prohibits Handheld Cellular Devices While Driving | Bill Failed - House (33 - 55) |
| 6/07 | HB 138 | Parole Eligibility for Elderly Inmates | Bill Passed - House (65 - 25) |
| 6/02 | HB 591 | Permanent Cigarette Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 6/01 | SB 133 | Amends the Smoke-free Air Act | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 22) |
| 5/31 | SB 108 | Limits Tax and Bond Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/25 | SB 6 | Teacher Retirement | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |