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
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ S 958 Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ S 958 Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
Aug. 20, 2012 CA SB 9 Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 16, 2012 CA SB 9 Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders Bill Passed - House (41 - 34)
March 7, 2012 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
Jan. 4, 2012 NC SB 9 Death Penalty Discrimination Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
May 2, 2012 NH HB 536 Repeals License Requirement to Carry a Firearm Bill Tabled - Senate (17 - 7)
Jan. 5, 2012 NH HB 536 Repeals License Requirement to Carry a Firearm Bill Passed - House (193 - 122)
Jan. 5, 2012 NH HB 628 Recording and Tracking Complaints of Abuse by Transportation Security Agents Bill Passed - House (188 - 136)
Jan. 4, 2012 NH HB 334 Authorizes Weapons on Public Property Bill Passed - House (180 - 144)
Jan. 5, 2012 NH HB 194 Authorizes Loaded Rifles and Shotguns in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (204 - 110)
Jan. 30, 2012 SD HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Jan. 25, 2012 SD HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13)
Jan. 26, 2012 VA SB 464 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
Jan. 26, 2012 ID H 404 Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
Jan. 27, 2012 IN H Amdt 3 Drug and Alcohol Testing for Legislators Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 40)
Jan. 30, 2012 CA AB 327 Amends Three Strikes Law Bill Failed - House (33 - 35)
Feb. 27, 2012 VA HB 9 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 1, 2012 VA HB 9 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (69 - 30)
Feb. 13, 2012 VA HB 940 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Feb. 1, 2012 VA HB 940 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - House (66 - 32)
Jan. 31, 2012 NY S 5560-A Requires DNA Testing of All Persons Convicted of Certain Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10)
Jan. 31, 2012 IN HB 1007 Requires Drug Testing for TANF Applicants Bill Passed - House (73 - 23)
Feb. 22, 2012 VA SB 323 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - House (64 - 32)
Feb. 6, 2012 VA SB 323 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/09 S 958 Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17)
1/09 S 958 Authorizes the Limited Sale of Syringes and Needles Without a Prescription Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
8/20 SB 9 Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/16 SB 9 Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders Bill Passed - House (41 - 34)
3/07 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
1/04 SB 9 Death Penalty Discrimination Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
5/02 HB 536 Repeals License Requirement to Carry a Firearm Bill Tabled - Senate (17 - 7)
1/05 HB 536 Repeals License Requirement to Carry a Firearm Bill Passed - House (193 - 122)
1/05 HB 628 Recording and Tracking Complaints of Abuse by Transportation Security Agents Bill Passed - House (188 - 136)
1/04 HB 334 Authorizes Weapons on Public Property Bill Passed - House (180 - 144)
1/05 HB 194 Authorizes Loaded Rifles and Shotguns in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (204 - 110)
1/30 HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
1/25 HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13)
1/26 SB 464 Authorizes Hunting on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
1/26 H 404 Prohibits Camping on Capitol Mall Property Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
1/27 H Amdt 3 Drug and Alcohol Testing for Legislators Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 40)
1/30 AB 327 Amends Three Strikes Law Bill Failed - House (33 - 35)
2/27 HB 9 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/01 HB 9 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (69 - 30)
2/13 HB 940 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
2/01 HB 940 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - House (66 - 32)
1/31 S 5560-A Requires DNA Testing of All Persons Convicted of Certain Crimes Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10)
1/31 HB 1007 Requires Drug Testing for TANF Applicants Bill Passed - House (73 - 23)
2/22 SB 323 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - House (64 - 32)
2/06 SB 323 Repeals Purchase Limit for Handguns Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)

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