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 29, 2012 | GA | HB 1114 | Prohibits Assisted Suicide | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 53) |
March 7, 2012 | GA | HB 1114 | Prohibits Assisted Suicide | Bill Passed - House (124 - 45) |
March 19, 2012 | CO | HB 1130 | Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 1205 | Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
March 2, 2012 | FL | HB 1205 | Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees | Bill Passed - House (79 - 37) |
March 1, 2012 | FL | HB 1209 | Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
March 8, 2012 | MO | HB 1219 | Workplace Discrimination Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | MO | HB 1219 | Workplace Discrimination Amendments | Bill Passed - House (89 - 68) |
March 19, 2012 | SD | HB 1248 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit | Veto Override Failed - House (27 - 40) |
Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | HB 1248 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
Feb. 13, 2012 | SD | HB 1248 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (50 - 18) |
April 5, 2012 | CO | HB 1271 | Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
March 19, 2012 | CO | HB 1271 | Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | VA | HB 14 | Provides Civil Immunity for the Use of Force Against Intruders | Bill Passed - House (75 - 22) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | VA | HB 14 | Provides Civil Immunity for the Use of Force Against Intruders | Bill Passed - House (75 - 22) |
April 26, 2012 | MO | HB 1540 | Prohibits Employees from Suing Co-Workers for Job Injuries | Bill Passed - House (99 - 47) |
March 1, 2012 | UT | HB 155 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (62 - 10) |
March 8, 2012 | NH | HB 1654 | Reduces Sentences of Prisoners Pursuing Degrees | Bill Failed - House (152 - 171) |
April 19, 2012 | MO | HB 1860 | Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock | Bill Passed - House (108 - 32) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 1907 | Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 18) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 1907 | Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 18) |
Jan. 5, 2012 | NH | HB 194 | Authorizes Loaded Rifles and Shotguns in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (204 - 110) |
March 5, 2012 | AZ | HB 2125 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (45 - 15) |
April 9, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15) |
April 9, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15) |
April 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
April 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
March 12, 2012 | KS | HB 2353 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Handguns in Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (70 - 54) |
June 13, 2012 | PA | HB 2400 | Expands Wiretapping Authority | Bill Passed - House (145 - 52) |
April 9, 2012 | AZ | HB 2434 | Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 17) |
April 4, 2012 | AZ | HB 2434 | Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
Feb. 3, 2012 | UT | HB 253 | Removal of Voters from Voter Registration List | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
Feb. 27, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 21) |
Feb. 23, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
Feb. 16, 2012 | TN | HB 2638 | Prohibits Camping in Non-Designated Areas of Public Property | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
Aug. 21, 2012 | CA | HB 2676 | Increases Penalties For Agriculture Health And Safety Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
April 12, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
April 12, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
March 6, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
March 6, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
Feb. 28, 2012 | UT | HB 316 | Extends Waiting Period for Divorce | Bill Passed - House (43 - 26) |
Jan. 4, 2012 | NH | HB 334 | Authorizes Weapons on Public Property | Bill Passed - House (180 - 144) |
April 18, 2012 | TN | HB 3517 | Expands Definition of Offense Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (80 - 18) |
May 15, 2012 | LA | HB 380 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (65 - 26) |
March 21, 2012 | IL | HB 3944 | Authorizing the Recording of Police | Bill Failed - House (45 - 59) |
March 21, 2012 | IL | HB 3944 | Authorizing the Recording of Police | Bill Failed - House (45 - 59) |
March 2, 2012 | OR | HB 4045 | Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 6) |
March 1, 2012 | OR | HB 4045 | Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | OR | HB 4045 | Prohibits Disclosure of the Names of Licensed Concealed Handgun Carriers | Bill Passed - House (44 - 14) |
March 29, 2012 | IL | HB 4083 | Internet Dating Site Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 26) |