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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Feb. 29, 2012 | AK | HB 118 | Research and Development Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (23 - 12) |
May 16, 2012 | AL | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 6) |
May 16, 2012 | AL | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (77 - 28) |
Feb. 14, 2012 | AL | HB 160 | Authorizes Companies to Retain Employee Income Tax Deductions | Bill Passed - House (69 - 19) |
May 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 16) |
March 28, 2012 | AZ | SB 1118 | Appropriates Funds for Forest Restoration | Bill Failed - House (18 - 40) |
May 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
April 24, 2012 | AZ | HB 2800 | Prohibits State Funding for Abortion Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
March 21, 2012 | AZ | HB 2862 | Appropriates Funds for Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
March 5, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2043 | Amends Requirements for Ballot Measures for Future Tax Increases | Resolution Passed - House (32 - 26) |
March 5, 2012 | AZ | HB 2800 | Prohibits State Funding for Abortion Providers | Bill Passed - House (41 - 17) |
March 8, 2012 | AZ | SB 1338 | Requires Online Retailers to Pay Sales Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 20) |
March 1, 2012 | AZ | SB 1083 | Establishes the Arizona Special Missions Unit | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
March 1, 2012 | AZ | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Bill Passed - House (39 - 18) |
Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
March 20, 2012 | AZ | HB 2862 | Appropriates Funds for Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (36 - 20) |
June 15, 2012 | CA | AB 1464 | 2012-2013 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 28) |
Feb. 2, 2012 | CA | SB 81 | Funding For School Transportation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
July 6, 2012 | CA | SB 1029 | Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
Feb. 2, 2012 | CA | SB 95 | Increase State's Ability to Borrow | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
Aug. 30, 2012 | CA | AB 1478 | Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 20) |
Aug. 30, 2012 | CA | AB 1478 | Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
June 15, 2012 | CA | AB 1464 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
Feb. 2, 2012 | CA | SB 95 | Increase State's Ability to Borrow | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
July 5, 2012 | CA | SB 1029 | Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail | Bill Passed - House (52 - 28) |
Aug. 13, 2012 | CA | AB 1500 | Corporate Tax Rates and Middle Class Scholarship Fund | Bill Passed - House (54 - 25) |
Feb. 29, 2012 | CO | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
April 10, 2012 | CO | SB 68 | Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | CO | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (34 - 28) |
June 13, 2012 | DE | SB 204 | Extends the Gun Buy-back Program | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13) |
March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
Feb. 23, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 859 | School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
March 7, 2012 | FL | HB 859 | School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | FL | HB 7087 | Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 22) |
Feb. 14, 2012 | FL | SB 2038 | Private Correctional Facilities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 60) |
March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 797 | Establishes a State Charter School Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (117 - 55) |
March 26, 2012 | GA | HB 797 | Establishes a State Charter School Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
Feb. 8, 2012 | GA | HR 1162 | Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62) |
Feb. 24, 2012 | GA | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
April 10, 2012 | HI | SB 2115 | Amends Charter School System | Bill Passed - House (40 - 11) |
May 9, 2012 | IA | SF 2315 | Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31) |
Feb. 14, 2012 | IA | HF 2274 | Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
May 8, 2012 | IA | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
May 8, 2012 | IA | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
April 12, 2012 | IA | S 5206 | Prohibits State Funding For Abortions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 25) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
2/29 | HB 118 | Research and Development Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (23 - 12) |
5/16 | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 6) |
5/16 | HB 433 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (77 - 28) |
2/14 | HB 160 | Authorizes Companies to Retain Employee Income Tax Deductions | Bill Passed - House (69 - 19) |
5/03 | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 16) |
3/28 | SB 1118 | Appropriates Funds for Forest Restoration | Bill Failed - House (18 - 40) |
5/03 | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
4/24 | HB 2800 | Prohibits State Funding for Abortion Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
3/21 | HB 2862 | Appropriates Funds for Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
3/05 | HCR 2043 | Amends Requirements for Ballot Measures for Future Tax Increases | Resolution Passed - House (32 - 26) |
3/05 | HB 2800 | Prohibits State Funding for Abortion Providers | Bill Passed - House (41 - 17) |
3/08 | SB 1338 | Requires Online Retailers to Pay Sales Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 20) |
3/01 | SB 1083 | Establishes the Arizona Special Missions Unit | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
3/01 | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Bill Passed - House (39 - 18) |
2/28 | SCR 1021 | Repeals Public Campaign Financing | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
3/20 | HB 2862 | Appropriates Funds for Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (36 - 20) |
6/15 | AB 1464 | 2012-2013 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 28) |
2/02 | SB 81 | Funding For School Transportation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
7/06 | SB 1029 | Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
2/02 | SB 95 | Increase State's Ability to Borrow | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
8/30 | AB 1478 | Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 20) |
8/30 | AB 1478 | Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
6/15 | AB 1464 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
2/02 | SB 95 | Increase State's Ability to Borrow | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
7/05 | SB 1029 | Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail | Bill Passed - House (52 - 28) |
8/13 | AB 1500 | Corporate Tax Rates and Middle Class Scholarship Fund | Bill Passed - House (54 - 25) |
2/29 | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
4/10 | SB 68 | Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
2/15 | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (34 - 28) |
6/13 | SB 204 | Extends the Gun Buy-back Program | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13) |
3/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
3/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
2/23 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
3/09 | HB 859 | School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
3/07 | HB 859 | School Voucher Program | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
2/15 | HB 7087 | Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 22) |
2/14 | SB 2038 | Private Correctional Facilities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
2/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 60) |
3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
3/29 | HB 797 | Establishes a State Charter School Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (117 - 55) |
3/26 | HB 797 | Establishes a State Charter School Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
2/08 | HR 1162 | Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62) |
2/24 | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
4/10 | SB 2115 | Amends Charter School System | Bill Passed - House (40 - 11) |
5/09 | SF 2315 | Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31) |
2/14 | HF 2274 | Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
5/08 | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
5/08 | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
4/12 | S 5206 | Prohibits State Funding For Abortions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 25) |