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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 406 | Authorizes Early Offer Alternative to Medical Injury Claims | Conference Report Adopted - House (220 - 141) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
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) |
May 31, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1064 | Prohibits Private Security Services in Detention Centers | Bill Failed - House (57 - 58) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 2621 | Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program | Bill Passed - House (68 - 50) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 2621 | Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program | Bill Passed - House (68 - 50) |
May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1506 | Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
May 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
May 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
May 31, 2012 | NJ | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1506 | Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
May 30, 2012 | CA | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
May 29, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
May 29, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
May 29, 2012 | CA | AB 1447 | Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
May 24, 2012 | LA | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
May 22, 2012 | IL | SB 1808 | Authorizes Individuals to Record Law Enforcement Officers | Bill Passed - House (71 - 45) |
May 22, 2012 | LA | HB 543 | Parole Eligibility for Nonviolent Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
May 18, 2012 | National | HR 4310 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 | Bill Passed - House (299 - 120) |
May 18, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1127 | Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238) |
May 18, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1127 | Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238) |
May 16, 2012 | National | HR 4970 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (222 - 205) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
6/06 | SB 406 | Authorizes Early Offer Alternative to Medical Injury Claims | Conference Report Adopted - House (220 - 141) |
6/06 | SB 289 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (255 - 103) |
6/06 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (260 - 101) |
5/31 | HB 1907 | Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 18) |
5/31 | HB 1907 | Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 18) |
5/31 | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
5/31 | SB 1064 | Prohibits Private Security Services in Detention Centers | Bill Failed - House (57 - 58) |
5/31 | SB 2621 | Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program | Bill Passed - House (68 - 50) |
5/31 | SB 2621 | Amends the Department of Corrections' Early Release Program | Bill Passed - House (68 - 50) |
5/31 | SB 1506 | Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
5/31 | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
5/31 | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
5/31 | S 1599 | Amends Surrogacy Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
5/31 | SB 1506 | Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
5/30 | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
5/29 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
5/29 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
5/29 | AB 1447 | Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
5/24 | SB 303 | Limits Gun Regulations | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
5/22 | SB 1808 | Authorizes Individuals to Record Law Enforcement Officers | Bill Passed - House (71 - 45) |
5/22 | HB 543 | Parole Eligibility for Nonviolent Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
5/18 | HR 4310 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 | Bill Passed - House (299 - 120) |
5/18 | H Amdt 1127 | Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238) |
5/18 | H Amdt 1127 | Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238) |
5/16 | HR 4970 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (222 - 205) |