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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
May 16, 2012 National HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
May 15, 2012 CO HB 1005 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - House (38 - 24)
May 15, 2012 LA HB 380 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (65 - 26)
May 10, 2012 OK SB 1733 Authorizes Open Carry of Firearms Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 10)
May 9, 2012 RI S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
May 5, 2012 CT HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
May 3, 2012 CA AB 1527 Prohibits Open Carry of Certain Unloaded Firearms Bill Passed - House (44 - 29)
May 3, 2012 CA AB 1527 Prohibits Open Carry of Certain Unloaded Firearms Bill Passed - House (44 - 29)
May 2, 2012 NH HB 536 Repeals License Requirement to Carry a Firearm Bill Tabled - Senate (17 - 7)
May 2, 2012 CO SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
April 30, 2012 CT HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - House (83 - 59)
April 26, 2012 MS HB 921 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39)
April 26, 2012 National S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
April 26, 2012 CO SB 2 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
April 26, 2012 MO HB 1540 Prohibits Employees from Suing Co-Workers for Job Injuries Bill Passed - House (99 - 47)
April 26, 2012 National HR 3523 Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act Bill Passed - House (248 - 168)
April 26, 2012 National S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
April 25, 2012 MA H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
April 25, 2012 TN SB 2580 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
April 24, 2012 AZ SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
April 20, 2012 KY HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 19)
April 20, 2012 KY HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
April 19, 2012 AZ SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Bill Passed - House (34 - 22)
April 19, 2012 CT SB 245 Authorizes People to Record Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
April 19, 2012 CT SB 245 Authorizes People to Record Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/16 HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
5/15 HB 1005 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - House (38 - 24)
5/15 HB 380 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (65 - 26)
5/10 SB 1733 Authorizes Open Carry of Firearms Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 10)
5/09 S 2555 A Authorizes Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3)
5/05 HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
5/03 AB 1527 Prohibits Open Carry of Certain Unloaded Firearms Bill Passed - House (44 - 29)
5/03 AB 1527 Prohibits Open Carry of Certain Unloaded Firearms Bill Passed - House (44 - 29)
5/02 HB 536 Repeals License Requirement to Carry a Firearm Bill Tabled - Senate (17 - 7)
5/02 SB 117 Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
4/30 HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - House (83 - 59)
4/26 HB 921 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39)
4/26 S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
4/26 SB 2 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
4/26 HB 1540 Prohibits Employees from Suing Co-Workers for Job Injuries Bill Passed - House (99 - 47)
4/26 HR 3523 Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act Bill Passed - House (248 - 168)
4/26 S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
4/25 H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
4/25 SB 2580 Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
4/24 SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
4/20 HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 19)
4/20 HB 1 Requires Use of Prescription Monitoring System by Physicians Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
4/19 SB 1182 Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act Bill Passed - House (34 - 22)
4/19 SB 245 Authorizes People to Record Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
4/19 SB 245 Authorizes People to Record Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)

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