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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 18, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
Dec. 15, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
Dec. 13, 2010 | NJ | ACR 151 | Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program | Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
Dec. 8, 2010 | National | HR 5281 | DREAM Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198) |
Dec. 8, 2010 | National | S 3991 | Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43) |
Dec. 1, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
Dec. 1, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
Nov. 30, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
Nov. 30, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
Nov. 22, 2010 | NJ | ACR 151 | Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program | Resolution Passed - House (48 - 22) |
Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
Oct. 14, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
Oct. 14, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
Oct. 5, 2010 | PA | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
Oct. 5, 2010 | PA | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
Sept. 22, 2010 | National | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
Sept. 22, 2010 | National | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
Sept. 20, 2010 | NJ | S 2139 | 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 17) |
Aug. 31, 2010 | CA | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
Aug. 31, 2010 | CA | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21) |
Aug. 31, 2010 | CA | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21) |
Aug. 30, 2010 | CA | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
Aug. 27, 2010 | CA | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
Aug. 27, 2010 | CA | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/18 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
12/15 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
12/13 | ACR 151 | Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program | Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
12/08 | HR 5281 | DREAM Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198) |
12/08 | S 3991 | Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43) |
12/01 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
12/01 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
11/30 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
11/30 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
11/22 | ACR 151 | Concerning Legislative Review of the NJ Medical Marijuana Program | Resolution Passed - House (48 - 22) |
11/15 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
11/15 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
10/14 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
10/14 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
10/05 | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
10/05 | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
9/22 | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
9/22 | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
9/20 | S 2139 | 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 17) |
8/31 | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
8/31 | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21) |
8/31 | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21) |
8/30 | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
8/27 | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
8/27 | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |