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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S 1931 | Reduces Payroll Tax Rate | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78) |
Dec. 8, 2011 | National | HR 1633 | Limits Regulation of Farm Dust | Bill Passed - House (268 - 150) |
Dec. 7, 2011 | PA | HB 242 | Permitting the On-Site Sale of Alcohol at Distilleries | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
Dec. 7, 2011 | PA | HB 242 | Permitting the On-Site Sale of Alcohol at Distilleries | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (164 - 29) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | FL | HB 7087 | Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 22) |
Feb. 27, 2012 | UT | HB 283 | Authorizing State Liquor Stores to Open on Certain Holidays | Bill Passed - House (42 - 30) |
Feb. 29, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6) |
Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
Feb. 28, 2012 | IA | HF 589 | Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 28) |
Feb. 28, 2012 | IA | HF 589 | Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10) |
Feb. 24, 2012 | UT | HB 198 | Prohibits Regulation of Family Food | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
March 7, 2012 | UT | HB 187 | Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 13) |
March 7, 2012 | UT | HB 187 | Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
March 13, 2012 | KS | Goodman Amdt | Eliminates Sales Tax on Food | Amendment Adopted - House (76 - 44) |
April 10, 2012 | CO | SB 68 | Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
April 11, 2012 | AZ | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15) |
April 5, 2012 | AZ | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
May 1, 2012 | CT | HB 5021 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
April 26, 2012 | CT | HB 5021 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays | Bill Passed - House (116 - 27) |
April 19, 2012 | MO | HB 1860 | Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock | Bill Passed - House (108 - 32) |
May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
June 21, 2012 | National | S 3240 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
June 13, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2392 | Reduces Funding for Food Stamps | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33) |
June 13, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2393 | Repeals Sugar Subsidies | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46) |
June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2181 | Limits Farm Subsidies to Farmers with Incomes Under $250,000 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 84) |
June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2172 | Rescinds Bonuses to States for Administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 58) |
June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2156 | Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2156 | Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
June 21, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2310 | Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients | Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73) |
June 21, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2310 | Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients | Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73) |
June 21, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2372 | Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43) |
June 20, 2012 | UT | SB 4001 | Authorizes Additional Liquor Licenses | Bill Passed - House (57 - 10) |
Aug. 2, 2012 | National | HR 6233 | Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 197) |
Aug. 30, 2012 | CA | ACR 161 | Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" | Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | ACR 161 | Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" | Resolution Passed - House (53 - 21) |
Aug. 20, 2012 | CA | AB 1313 | Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
Aug. 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1313 | Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33) |
Feb. 11, 2013 | IN | SJR 7 | Guarantees Right to Hunt and Fish | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
Feb. 14, 2013 | KY | SB 50 | Authorizes Industrial Hemp Farming | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
Feb. 4, 2013 | NM | HJM 16 | Authorizes a Feasibility Study of Horse Slaughter Plants | Joint Resolution Failed - House (28 - 36) |
Feb. 20, 2013 | OK | SB 375 | Authorizes the International Sale of Horse Meat for Human Consumption | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6) |
Feb. 25, 2013 | MS | HB 844 | Exempts Certain Sales Taxes for Agricultural Businesses | Bill Passed - House (75 - 43) |
March 6, 2013 | MS | SB 2687 | Prohibits Local Government Management of Nutrition Labeling | Bill Passed - House (92 - 26) |
March 14, 2013 | UT | HB 228 | Amends Liquor Licensing Laws | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 16) |
March 25, 2013 | SD | SB 115 | Increases Commercial Fertilizer Inspection Fee | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 13) |
May 30, 2013 | KS | SB 84 | Reduces State Income Tax Rates | Conference Report Rejected - House (18 - 94) |
March 21, 2013 | KS | SB 84 | Reduces State Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - House (82 - 39) |
March 26, 2013 | IN | HB 1293 | Establishes Micro-Distiller Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |