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
Nov. 10, 2011 National S J Res 6 Disapproval of FCC Regulation of Internet and Broadband Industry Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
Oct. 27, 2011 MI SB 619 Cyber Schools Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
Oct. 26, 2011 IL SB 965 Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 24)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
June 21, 2011 OR HB 2301 Online Charter School Enrollment Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
June 8, 2011 WI SB 116 Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
June 2, 2011 CA SB 242 Privacy Control Requirements for Social Networks Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 17)
June 1, 2011 CA SB 914 Requires a Warrant to Search Cell Phones Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
May 25, 2011 TX S Amdt 3 Prohibits Texting While Driving Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 12)
May 11, 2011 WI SB 13 Repealing Regulations for Telecommunications Services Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
May 3, 2011 NC HB 129 Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
April 25, 2011 CA SB 28 Penalties for Using Mobile Device When Driving Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
April 20, 2011 IA SF 526 Requires a Study to Weigh Outcomes of Authorizing Online Poker in Iowa Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
April 13, 2011 AZ HB 2415 Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
March 28, 2011 ND HB 1195 Bans Texting While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
March 24, 2011 ID S 1184 Technology in the Classroom Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
March 15, 2011 AZ SB 1538 Cell Phone Usage While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
March 7, 2011 UT HB 477 Government Records Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
March 2, 2011 UT SB 65 Statewide Online Education Program Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
March 1, 2011 UT SB 65 Statewide Online Education Program Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 10)
Feb. 28, 2011 UT SB 270 Modifications to Sales and Use Tax Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
Feb. 23, 2011 GA SB 36 Prescription Drug Database Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 6)
Feb. 16, 2011 AR HB 1049 Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 9)
Feb. 8, 2011 VA SB 1351 Wireless Telecommunication Devices Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
Feb. 2, 2011 AR SB 154 Cell Phones in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/10 S J Res 6 Disapproval of FCC Regulation of Internet and Broadband Industry Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
10/27 SB 619 Cyber Schools Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
10/26 SB 965 Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 24)
9/06 AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
6/21 HB 2301 Online Charter School Enrollment Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
6/08 SB 116 Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
6/02 SB 242 Privacy Control Requirements for Social Networks Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 17)
6/01 SB 914 Requires a Warrant to Search Cell Phones Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
5/25 S Amdt 3 Prohibits Texting While Driving Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 12)
5/11 SB 13 Repealing Regulations for Telecommunications Services Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
5/03 HB 129 Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10)
4/25 SB 28 Penalties for Using Mobile Device When Driving Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
4/20 SF 526 Requires a Study to Weigh Outcomes of Authorizing Online Poker in Iowa Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
4/13 HB 2415 Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
3/28 HB 1195 Bans Texting While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
3/24 S 1184 Technology in the Classroom Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
3/15 SB 1538 Cell Phone Usage While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
3/07 HB 477 Government Records Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
3/02 SB 65 Statewide Online Education Program Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
3/01 SB 65 Statewide Online Education Program Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 10)
2/28 SB 270 Modifications to Sales and Use Tax Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
2/23 SB 36 Prescription Drug Database Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 6)
2/16 HB 1049 Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 9)
2/08 SB 1351 Wireless Telecommunication Devices Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
2/02 SB 154 Cell Phones in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)

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