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 29, 2012 | PA | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
June 13, 2012 | MI | SB 803 | Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
Oct. 4, 2012 | NJ | S 1761 | Requires more Transparancy and Accountability from Port Authority | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 15) |
July 26, 2012 | National | HR 4078 | Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 172) |
July 31, 2012 | National | S 679 | Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (261 - 116) |
July 31, 2012 | National | S 679 | Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (261 - 116) |
July 31, 2012 | National | HR 828 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 114) |
July 31, 2012 | National | HR 828 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 114) |
March 28, 2012 | ID | H 660 | Amends the Judicial Retirement Fund | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
Aug. 29, 2012 | CA | ACA 10 | Limits Citizen-led Initiatives to Amend the State Constitution | Amendment Rejected - House (41 - 30) |
Aug. 29, 2012 | CA | ACA 10 | Limits Citizen-led Initiatives to Amend the State Constitution | Amendment Rejected - House (41 - 30) |
Sept. 14, 2012 | National | HR 6213 | No More Solyndras Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 161) |
Sept. 14, 2012 | National | HR 6213 | No More Solyndras Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 161) |
Sept. 19, 2012 | National | HR 5912 | Prohibits Public Funding for Political Party Conventions | Bill Passed - House (310 - 95) |
Sept. 22, 2012 | National | H J Res 117 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30) |
June 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 24) |
June 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
Oct. 18, 2012 | NJ | A 2870 | Establishes Online Vote Registration | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
Oct. 18, 2012 | NJ | AR 86 | Opposes the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United Versus Federal Elections Commission | Resolution Passed - House (49 - 23) |
Dec. 3, 2012 | NJ | A 2166 | Requires Legislative Approval of Port Authority Minutes | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
Nov. 29, 2012 | NJ | S 2 | Requires Certain Municipalities to Merge Public Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
Dec. 20, 2012 | National | HR 6684 | Spending Reduction Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (215 - 209) |
Dec. 20, 2012 | National | HR 6684 | Spending Reduction Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (215 - 209) |
Dec. 13, 2012 | MI | SB 865 | Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Dec. 12, 2012 | MI | SB 865 | Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis | Bill Passed - House (64 - 45) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
6/29 | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
6/13 | SB 803 | Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
10/04 | S 1761 | Requires more Transparancy and Accountability from Port Authority | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 15) |
7/26 | HR 4078 | Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 172) |
7/31 | S 679 | Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (261 - 116) |
7/31 | S 679 | Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (261 - 116) |
7/31 | HR 828 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 114) |
7/31 | HR 828 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 114) |
3/28 | H 660 | Amends the Judicial Retirement Fund | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
8/29 | ACA 10 | Limits Citizen-led Initiatives to Amend the State Constitution | Amendment Rejected - House (41 - 30) |
8/29 | ACA 10 | Limits Citizen-led Initiatives to Amend the State Constitution | Amendment Rejected - House (41 - 30) |
9/14 | HR 6213 | No More Solyndras Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 161) |
9/14 | HR 6213 | No More Solyndras Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 161) |
9/19 | HR 5912 | Prohibits Public Funding for Political Party Conventions | Bill Passed - House (310 - 95) |
9/22 | H J Res 117 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30) |
6/27 | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 24) |
6/27 | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
5/31 | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
10/18 | A 2870 | Establishes Online Vote Registration | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
10/18 | AR 86 | Opposes the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United Versus Federal Elections Commission | Resolution Passed - House (49 - 23) |
12/03 | A 2166 | Requires Legislative Approval of Port Authority Minutes | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
11/29 | S 2 | Requires Certain Municipalities to Merge Public Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
12/20 | HR 6684 | Spending Reduction Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (215 - 209) |
12/20 | HR 6684 | Spending Reduction Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (215 - 209) |
12/13 | SB 865 | Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
12/12 | SB 865 | Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis | Bill Passed - House (64 - 45) |