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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 21, 2012 | NJ | S 2001 | Expands Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 31, 2012 | NJ | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| Jan. 9, 2012 | NJ | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17) |
| Jan. 9, 2012 | NJ | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | NJ | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| Dec. 13, 2010 | NJ | ACR 151 | Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program | Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Nov. 22, 2010 | NJ | ACR 151 | Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program | Resolution Passed - House (48 - 22) |
| June 28, 2010 | NJ | S 2105 | Delaying the Effective Date of the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (48 - 14) |
| Jan. 7, 2010 | NJ | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| Jan. 7, 2010 | NJ | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| Jan. 7, 2010 | NJ | S 1967 | Legalizing Same Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| Dec. 10, 2009 | NJ | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Dec. 10, 2009 | NJ | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| June 26, 2009 | NJ | A 339 | Handgun Purchasing Limitations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 3101 | Creating Homelessness Trust Funds | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | S 1880 | Establishing Criminal Sentencing Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 26) |
| June 18, 2009 | NJ | S 1880 | Establishing Criminal Sentencing Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| June 18, 2009 | NJ | A 3101 | Creating Homelessness Trust Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | NJ | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | A 339 | Handgun Purchasing Limitations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - House (41 - 32) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | NJ | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (44 - 36) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | NJ | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (44 - 36) |
| Dec. 10, 2007 | NJ | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Dec. 10, 2007 | NJ | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| March 2, 2006 | NJ | A 798 | New Jersey Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Jan. 9, 2006 | NJ | S 2783 | Age Restrictions for the Purchase of Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - House (58 - 16) |
| Jan. 9, 2006 | NJ | S 2083 | Domestic Partner Surviving Rights | Bill Passed - House (67 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/21 | S 2001 | Expands Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/31 | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 1/09 | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17) |
| 1/09 | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 2/17 | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| 12/13 | ACR 151 | Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program | Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 11/22 | ACR 151 | Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program | Resolution Passed - House (48 - 22) |
| 6/28 | S 2105 | Delaying the Effective Date of the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
| 1/11 | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 1/11 | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (48 - 14) |
| 1/07 | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| 1/07 | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| 1/07 | S 1967 | Legalizing Same Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| 12/10 | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 12/10 | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 6/26 | A 339 | Handgun Purchasing Limitations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 6/25 | A 3101 | Creating Homelessness Trust Funds | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| 6/25 | S 1880 | Establishing Criminal Sentencing Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 26) |
| 6/18 | S 1880 | Establishing Criminal Sentencing Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| 6/18 | A 3101 | Creating Homelessness Trust Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| 2/23 | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 6/23 | A 339 | Handgun Purchasing Limitations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| 1/07 | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - House (41 - 32) |
| 1/07 | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 1/07 | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| 1/07 | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| 12/13 | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (44 - 36) |
| 12/13 | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (44 - 36) |
| 12/10 | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 12/10 | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 3/02 | A 798 | New Jersey Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 1/09 | S 2783 | Age Restrictions for the Purchase of Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - House (58 - 16) |
| 1/09 | S 2083 | Domestic Partner Surviving Rights | Bill Passed - House (67 - 8) |