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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
May 21, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
March 29, 2012 | MO | HB 1541 | Provides Exemptions on Participating in Certain Medical Procedures. | Bill Passed - House (113 - 41) |
March 26, 2012 | TN | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 23) |
March 19, 2012 | TN | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
March 15, 2012 | OK | HB 1551 | Authorizes the Instruction of Various Scientific Theories | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
Feb. 29, 2012 | SD | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 33) |
Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
Feb. 13, 2012 | SD | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
Oct. 26, 2011 | CT | SB 1401 | Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program | Bill Passed - House (101 - 41) |
Oct. 26, 2011 | CT | SB 1401 | Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
Sept. 23, 2011 | MO | SB 7 | Incentives for Science-Based Businesses | Bill Passed - House (94 - 48) |
Sept. 23, 2011 | MO | HA 1 to SB 7 | Prohibits Public Funding for Certain Life Science Research Projects | Amendment Rejected - House (68 - 74) |
Sept. 23, 2011 | MO | HA 1 to SB 7 | Prohibits Public Funding for Certain Life Science Research Projects | Amendment Rejected - House (68 - 74) |
April 7, 2011 | TN | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (70 - 23) |
Feb. 22, 2011 | IN | SB 192 | Authorizing a Study of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
May 28, 2010 | National | HR 5116 | Science and Technology Funding | Bill Passed - House (262 - 150) |
May 19, 2010 | National | HR 5325 | Science and Technology Funding | Bill Failed - House (261 - 148) |
April 29, 2010 | AZ | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
April 28, 2010 | AZ | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
March 1, 2010 | AZ | SCR 1044 | Prohibiting Human Cloning | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
Feb. 26, 2010 | ID | S 1353 | Authorizing Health Care Professionals to Refuse Specific Health Care Services | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
Feb. 23, 2010 | SD | HB 1083 | Appropriations for the Sanford Lab at Homestake | Bill Failed - House (45 - 23) |
Feb. 4, 2010 | OK | HB 2430 | 2010-2011 Space Industry Development Authority Budget | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
Aug. 5, 2009 | NC | SB 138 | Banning Salvia Divinorum | Bill Passed - House (96 - 15) |
April 23, 2009 | OK | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Passed - House (68 - 26) |
April 23, 2009 | OK | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 19) |
March 20, 2009 | NM | SB 77 | Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
March 12, 2009 | GA | SB 169 | In Vitro Embryo Creation Limitations | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 22) |
Feb. 26, 2009 | National | HR 1105 | 2009 Budget Bill | Bill Passed - House (245 - 178) |
Feb. 23, 2009 | SD | SB 195 | Stem Cell Research Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
Feb. 19, 2009 | NM | SB 77 | Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
June 12, 2008 | MA | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
June 11, 2008 | MA | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (142 - 15) |
June 11, 2008 | LA | SB 733 | Supplemental Science Teaching Materials | Bill Passed - House (94 - 3) |
May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 2076 | Prohibiting E-verify | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
May 7, 2008 | MN | Dean Amendment: Stem cell research that does not destroy, injure or create human embryos | Amendment Rejected - House (65 - 69) | |
May 7, 2008 | MN | SF 100 | Public Funding for Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - House (71 - 62) |
April 29, 2008 | RI | H 7107 | Employment Verification Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
April 28, 2008 | FL | SB 2692 | Teaching Evolution in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (71 - 43) |
April 23, 2008 | FL | SB 2692 | Science Curriculum Flexibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
April 15, 2008 | LA | HB 370 | Banning Public Funds for Human Cloning | Bill Passed - House (90 - 9) |
April 8, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
March 20, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (105 - 34) |
March 14, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |
March 6, 2008 | MN | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9) |
March 6, 2008 | MN | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - House (99 - 34) |
Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
Feb. 27, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
8/22 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
5/21 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
3/29 | HB 1541 | Provides Exemptions on Participating in Certain Medical Procedures. | Bill Passed - House (113 - 41) |
3/26 | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 23) |
3/19 | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
3/15 | HB 1551 | Authorizes the Instruction of Various Scientific Theories | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
2/29 | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 33) |
2/27 | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
2/13 | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
10/26 | SB 1401 | Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program | Bill Passed - House (101 - 41) |
10/26 | SB 1401 | Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
9/23 | SB 7 | Incentives for Science-Based Businesses | Bill Passed - House (94 - 48) |
9/23 | HA 1 to SB 7 | Prohibits Public Funding for Certain Life Science Research Projects | Amendment Rejected - House (68 - 74) |
9/23 | HA 1 to SB 7 | Prohibits Public Funding for Certain Life Science Research Projects | Amendment Rejected - House (68 - 74) |
4/07 | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (70 - 23) |
2/22 | SB 192 | Authorizing a Study of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
5/28 | HR 5116 | Science and Technology Funding | Bill Passed - House (262 - 150) |
5/19 | HR 5325 | Science and Technology Funding | Bill Failed - House (261 - 148) |
4/29 | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
4/28 | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
3/01 | SCR 1044 | Prohibiting Human Cloning | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
2/26 | S 1353 | Authorizing Health Care Professionals to Refuse Specific Health Care Services | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
2/23 | HB 1083 | Appropriations for the Sanford Lab at Homestake | Bill Failed - House (45 - 23) |
2/04 | HB 2430 | 2010-2011 Space Industry Development Authority Budget | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
8/05 | SB 138 | Banning Salvia Divinorum | Bill Passed - House (96 - 15) |
4/23 | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Passed - House (68 - 26) |
4/23 | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 19) |
3/20 | SB 77 | Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
3/12 | SB 169 | In Vitro Embryo Creation Limitations | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 22) |
2/26 | HR 1105 | 2009 Budget Bill | Bill Passed - House (245 - 178) |
2/23 | SB 195 | Stem Cell Research Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
2/19 | SB 77 | Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
6/12 | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
6/11 | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (142 - 15) |
6/11 | SB 733 | Supplemental Science Teaching Materials | Bill Passed - House (94 - 3) |
5/29 | AB 2076 | Prohibiting E-verify | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
5/07 | Dean Amendment: Stem cell research that does not destroy, injure or create human embryos | Amendment Rejected - House (65 - 69) | |
5/07 | SF 100 | Public Funding for Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - House (71 - 62) |
4/29 | H 7107 | Employment Verification Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
4/28 | SB 2692 | Teaching Evolution in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (71 - 43) |
4/23 | SB 2692 | Science Curriculum Flexibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
4/15 | HB 370 | Banning Public Funds for Human Cloning | Bill Passed - House (90 - 9) |
4/08 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
3/20 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (105 - 34) |
3/14 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |
3/06 | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9) |
3/06 | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - House (99 - 34) |
2/27 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
2/27 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
2/13 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |