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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 1, 2012 | FL | HB 1209 | Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 406 | Authorizes Early Offer Alternative to Medical Injury Claims | Veto Override Passed - House (247 - 111) |
June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (232 - 110) |
June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (231 - 112) |
June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
June 27, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
Dec. 4, 2012 | IL | SB 681 | Authorizes State Residents To Purchase Ammunition From In-State Companies | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 28) |
July 2, 2012 | NC | SB 416 | Death Penalty Discrimination | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 48) |
July 2, 2012 | NC | SB 416 | Death Penalty Discrimination | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 11) |
Jan. 4, 2012 | NC | SB 9 | Death Penalty Discrimination | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
April 5, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 5) |
July 19, 2012 | MA | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
July 31, 2012 | MA | S 2400 | Establishes Accountable Care Organizations | Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20) |
Dec. 21, 2012 | National | HR 4310 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14) |
Jan. 9, 2012 | NJ | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17) |
March 1, 2012 | SD | SB 141 | Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse | Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25) |
Dec. 20, 2012 | National | HR 4310 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 | Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107) |
March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 406 | Authorizes Early Offer Alternative to Medical Injury Claims | Conference Report Adopted - House (220 - 141) |
July 18, 2012 | MA | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - House (139 - 14) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
3/01 | HB 1209 | Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
6/27 | SB 406 | Authorizes Early Offer Alternative to Medical Injury Claims | Veto Override Passed - House (247 - 111) |
6/27 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (232 - 110) |
6/27 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - House (231 - 112) |
6/27 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
6/27 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
12/04 | SB 681 | Authorizes State Residents To Purchase Ammunition From In-State Companies | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 28) |
7/02 | SB 416 | Death Penalty Discrimination | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 48) |
7/02 | SB 416 | Death Penalty Discrimination | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 11) |
1/04 | SB 9 | Death Penalty Discrimination | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
6/06 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
4/05 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
3/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
6/06 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 5) |
7/19 | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
7/31 | S 2400 | Establishes Accountable Care Organizations | Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20) |
12/21 | HR 4310 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14) |
1/09 | S 958 | Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17) |
3/01 | SB 141 | Amends the Definition of Domestic Abuse | Motion Agreed - House (39 - 25) |
12/20 | HR 4310 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 | Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107) |
3/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
6/06 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
6/06 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
6/06 | SB 406 | Authorizes Early Offer Alternative to Medical Injury Claims | Conference Report Adopted - House (220 - 141) |
7/18 | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - House (139 - 14) |