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
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)

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