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
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)

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