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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 9, 2011 MD Amendment 223923 Civil Marriage Protection Act Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72)
March 8, 2011 IA HF 535 Repeals Statewide Preschool Program Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)
March 8, 2011 AZ SB 1188 Preference for Married Couples in Adoption Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
March 8, 2011 IA HF 535 Repeals Statewide Preschool Program Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)
March 7, 2011 WA HB 1166 Preventing Alcohol Poisoning Deaths Bill Passed - House (57 - 39)
March 7, 2011 UT 1SHB 89 Protection of Children from Second Hand Smoke in Motor Vehicles Bill Passed - House (39 - 35)
March 3, 2011 UT SB 124 Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
March 2, 2011 WY HB 74 Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages Conference Report Rejected - Senate (14 - 16)
March 2, 2011 WY HB 74 Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 28)
March 1, 2011 GA HB 279 Increased Age Requirement for Child Restraints Bill Passed - House (129 - 43)
Feb. 28, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
Feb. 28, 2011 WA HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
Feb. 28, 2011 NM SB 319 Eliminating Corporal Punishment Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18)
Feb. 24, 2011 KS HB 2035 Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion Bill Passed - House (96 - 25)
Feb. 24, 2011 KS HB 2035 Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion Bill Passed - House (96 - 25)
Feb. 23, 2011 MD SB 116 Civil Marriage Protection Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
Feb. 22, 2011 UT SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
Feb. 22, 2011 UT SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
Feb. 22, 2011 MT HB 456 Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools Bill Passed - House (67 - 30)
Feb. 18, 2011 WY HB 74 Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
Feb. 18, 2011 MT SB 97 Parental Notice of Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Feb. 17, 2011 AZ SB 1187 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
Feb. 16, 2011 HI SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
Feb. 11, 2011 HI SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Bill Passed - House (31 - 19)
Feb. 10, 2011 AZ SB 1086 Tobacco Prohibitions Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/09 Amendment 223923 Civil Marriage Protection Act Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72)
3/08 HF 535 Repeals Statewide Preschool Program Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)
3/08 SB 1188 Preference for Married Couples in Adoption Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
3/08 HF 535 Repeals Statewide Preschool Program Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)
3/07 HB 1166 Preventing Alcohol Poisoning Deaths Bill Passed - House (57 - 39)
3/07 1SHB 89 Protection of Children from Second Hand Smoke in Motor Vehicles Bill Passed - House (39 - 35)
3/03 SB 124 Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
3/02 HB 74 Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages Conference Report Rejected - Senate (14 - 16)
3/02 HB 74 Prohibiting Recognition of Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 28)
3/01 HB 279 Increased Age Requirement for Child Restraints Bill Passed - House (129 - 43)
2/28 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
2/28 HB 1267 Definition of Parenthood Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
2/28 SB 319 Eliminating Corporal Punishment Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18)
2/24 HB 2035 Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion Bill Passed - House (96 - 25)
2/24 HB 2035 Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion Bill Passed - House (96 - 25)
2/23 SB 116 Civil Marriage Protection Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
2/22 SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
2/22 SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
2/22 HB 456 Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools Bill Passed - House (67 - 30)
2/18 HB 74 Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
2/18 SB 97 Parental Notice of Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
2/17 SB 1187 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
2/16 SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
2/11 SB 232 Civil Unions for All Couples Bill Passed - House (31 - 19)
2/10 SB 1086 Tobacco Prohibitions Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)

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