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
Oct. 17, 2012 PA SB 850 Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Oct. 17, 2012 PA HB 815 Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Aug. 22, 2012 CA AB 1640 Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Aug. 22, 2012 CA AB 2109 Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
Aug. 20, 2012 CA SB 9 Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 1140 Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
May 31, 2012 NJ S 1599 Amends Surrogacy Laws Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
May 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
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 24, 2012 IL SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13)
May 15, 2012 MD SB 1302 Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
May 3, 2012 CT HB 5312 Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
April 26, 2012 TN HB 2566 Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
April 26, 2012 CO SB 2 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
April 18, 2012 AZ HB 2154 Requires Car Seats for Certain Children Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
April 11, 2012 NE LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
April 11, 2012 NE LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
April 5, 2012 CO HB 1271 Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 3, 2012 AZ HB 2348 Prohibits Cell Phone Use by Teens While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
March 27, 2012 GA HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15)
March 15, 2012 MD SB 523 Increases State Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
March 15, 2012 MI SB 756 Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
March 14, 2012 MD SB 559 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Children Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
March 13, 2012 RI S 2322 Prohibits The Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
March 9, 2012 FL SB 1718 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
March 8, 2012 AZ SB 1462 Expands Penalties for Bullying Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
Feb. 27, 2012 AZ SB 1204 Authorizes Parents to Vote to Close Schools Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
Feb. 23, 2012 MD HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
Feb. 22, 2012 UT SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
Feb. 22, 2012 UT SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
Feb. 21, 2012 VA HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 13, 2012 NJ S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 9, 2012 VA SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 7, 2012 UT SB 128 Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
Feb. 1, 2012 WA SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ A 4366 Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/17 SB 850 Repeals Mandatory Life Sentences for Certain Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
10/17 HB 815 Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
8/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/29 SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
8/22 AB 1640 Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
8/22 AB 2109 Requires Parents to Obtain a Waiver for Unvaccinated Children Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
8/20 SB 9 Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
5/31 SB 1140 Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
5/31 S 1599 Amends Surrogacy Laws Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
5/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
5/30 SB 1476 Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
5/24 SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13)
5/15 SB 1302 Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
5/03 HB 5312 Authorizes Day Care and Personal Care Workers to Join Unions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
4/26 HB 2566 Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
4/26 SB 2 Authorizes Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
4/18 HB 2154 Requires Car Seats for Certain Children Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
4/11 LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
4/11 LB 599 Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
4/05 HB 1271 Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/03 HB 2348 Prohibits Cell Phone Use by Teens While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
3/27 HB 861 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15)
3/15 SB 523 Increases State Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
3/15 SB 756 Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
3/14 SB 559 Prohibits Smoking in a Vehicle with Children Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
3/13 S 2322 Prohibits The Use Of Tanning Facilities By Minors Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
3/09 SB 1718 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
3/08 SB 1462 Expands Penalties for Bullying Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
3/07 SB 292 Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
2/27 SB 1204 Authorizes Parents to Vote to Close Schools Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
2/23 HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
2/22 SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
2/22 SB 41 Authorizes Regulations of Tanning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
2/21 HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/13 S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/09 SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/07 SB 128 Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
2/01 SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
1/09 A 4366 Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)

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