Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 17, 2011 National S Amdt 1465 Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
Dec. 14, 2011 National S J Res 10 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
Dec. 14, 2011 National S J Res 10 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
Dec. 14, 2011 National S J Res 24 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79)
Dec. 14, 2011 National S J Res 24 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79)
Dec. 13, 2011 IL SB 397 Tax Code Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 9)
Dec. 13, 2011 IL SB 400 Amends State Income Tax Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S 1917 Extends Payroll Tax Cut and Establishes Tax on Income Over $1 Million Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S 1931 Reduces Payroll Tax Rate Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78)
Nov. 29, 2011 IL HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18)
Nov. 10, 2011 National S Amdt 928 American Jobs and Economic Growth Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56)
Nov. 3, 2011 National S 1769 Transportation Infrastructure Appropriations and Tax on Income Over $1 Million Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49)
Oct. 27, 2011 WI SB 23 Amends Tax Enforcement System Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Oct. 26, 2011 PA SB 1 Charter School Guidelines Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
Oct. 26, 2011 CT SB 1401 Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Oct. 18, 2011 PA SB 1151 Fiscal Emergency Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
Oct. 11, 2011 National S 1660 American Jobs Act of 2011 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
Sept. 26, 2011 National HR 2608 Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 12)
Sept. 23, 2011 National S Amdt 655 Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 36)
Sept. 14, 2011 MO SB 8 Tax Credit Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Aug. 24, 2011 MI SB 348 1 Percent Tax on Paid Health Insurance Claims Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Aug. 2, 2011 National S 365 Budget Control Act of 2011 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 26)
July 31, 2011 National S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Reid Bill) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
July 29, 2011 National S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) Bill Tabled - Senate (59 - 41)
July 22, 2011 National HR 2560 Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 46)
July 19, 2011 MN HF 26 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28)
July 19, 2011 MN HF 25 2011-2013 Health and Human Services Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 27)
July 19, 2011 MN HF 4 Higher Education Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 30)
July 19, 2011 MN HF 20 2011-2013 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 27)
July 19, 2011 MN SF 2 2011-2013 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23)
June 30, 2011 PA SB 330 Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
June 29, 2011 NJ S 4000 2011-2012 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
June 28, 2011 OH HB 153 2011-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 11)
June 28, 2011 PA HB 1485 2011-2012 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
June 21, 2011 National S 782 Economic Development Revitalization Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 51)
June 20, 2011 OR SB 909 Appropriates Education Funds Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
June 16, 2011 WI AB 40 2011-2013 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
June 15, 2011 NC HB 200 2011-2013 Budget Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
June 15, 2011 NY S 5596 Revising The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
June 15, 2011 NY S 5596 Revising The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
June 14, 2011 National S Amdt 436 Repeals the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 59)
June 13, 2011 OR HB 2541 Amends Inheritance Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
June 5, 2011 NV AB 580 2011-2013 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6)
June 3, 2011 TX SB 1 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
June 2, 2011 LA HB 591 Permanent Cigarette Tax Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
June 1, 2011 CT SB 1152 Funding for Construction at the University of Connecticut Health Center Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
May 31, 2011 LA SB 108 Limits Tax and Bond Elections Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 28, 2011 TX HB 1 2011-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11)
May 27, 2011 CT HB 6650 Appropriations for Judicial Branch and Other Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
May 26, 2011 MI HB 4325 Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/17 S Amdt 1465 Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
12/14 S J Res 10 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
12/14 S J Res 10 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
12/14 S J Res 24 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79)
12/14 S J Res 24 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79)
12/13 SB 397 Tax Code Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 9)
12/13 SB 400 Amends State Income Tax Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
12/01 S 1917 Extends Payroll Tax Cut and Establishes Tax on Income Over $1 Million Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49)
12/01 S 1931 Reduces Payroll Tax Rate Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78)
11/29 HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 18)
11/10 S Amdt 928 American Jobs and Economic Growth Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56)
11/03 S 1769 Transportation Infrastructure Appropriations and Tax on Income Over $1 Million Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49)
10/27 SB 23 Amends Tax Enforcement System Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
10/26 SB 1 Charter School Guidelines Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
10/26 SB 1401 Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
10/18 SB 1151 Fiscal Emergency Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
10/11 S 1660 American Jobs Act of 2011 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
9/26 HR 2608 Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 12)
9/23 S Amdt 655 Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 36)
9/14 SB 8 Tax Credit Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
8/24 SB 348 1 Percent Tax on Paid Health Insurance Claims Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
8/02 S 365 Budget Control Act of 2011 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 26)
7/31 S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Reid Bill) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
7/29 S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) Bill Tabled - Senate (59 - 41)
7/22 HR 2560 Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 46)
7/19 HF 26 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28)
7/19 HF 25 2011-2013 Health and Human Services Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 27)
7/19 HF 4 Higher Education Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 30)
7/19 HF 20 2011-2013 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 27)
7/19 SF 2 2011-2013 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23)
6/30 SB 330 Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
6/29 S 4000 2011-2012 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
6/28 HB 153 2011-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 11)
6/28 HB 1485 2011-2012 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
6/21 S 782 Economic Development Revitalization Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 51)
6/20 SB 909 Appropriates Education Funds Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
6/16 AB 40 2011-2013 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
6/15 HB 200 2011-2013 Budget Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
6/15 S 5596 Revising The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
6/15 S 5596 Revising The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
6/14 S Amdt 436 Repeals the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 59)
6/13 HB 2541 Amends Inheritance Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
6/05 AB 580 2011-2013 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6)
6/03 SB 1 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
6/02 HB 591 Permanent Cigarette Tax Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
6/01 SB 1152 Funding for Construction at the University of Connecticut Health Center Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
5/31 SB 108 Limits Tax and Bond Elections Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/28 HB 1 2011-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11)
5/27 HB 6650 Appropriations for Judicial Branch and Other Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
5/26 HB 4325 Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)

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