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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 6, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2056 | Matches State Minimum Wage to Federal Minimum | Resolution Passed - House (39 - 18) |
March 6, 2012 | WI | AJR 63 | Limits Recalls of Elected Officials | Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37) |
March 6, 2012 | WI | AJR 63 | Limits Recalls of Elected Officials | Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37) |
Feb. 23, 2012 | KS | HB 2437 | Amends Voting Registration Requirements | Bill Passed - House (81 - 43) |
Feb. 22, 2012 | NH | HR 29 | Urges Repeal of Rule Requiring Health Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives | Resolution Passed - House (227 - 121) |
Jan. 18, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176) |
Feb. 21, 2012 | UT | HB 49 | Authorizing the Concealed or Open Possession of Firearms | Bill Passed - House (50 - 21) |
Feb. 17, 2012 | WY | HB 32 | State House and Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (49 - 9) |
Feb. 17, 2012 | WY | HB 32 | State House and Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (49 - 9) |
March 22, 2012 | CA | AJR 22 | Requests a Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United | Joint Resolution Passed - House (48 - 22) |
March 22, 2012 | CA | AJR 22 | Requests a Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United | Joint Resolution Passed - House (48 - 22) |
March 26, 2012 | ID | H 695 | Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
Feb. 16, 2012 | UT | HB 90 | Prohibiting Government Meetings on Caucus Nights | Bill Passed - House (38 - 34) |
Jan. 13, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
Feb. 16, 2012 | UT | HB 90 | Prohibiting Government Meetings on Caucus Nights | Bill Passed - House (38 - 34) |
Feb. 16, 2012 | AL | HB 159 | Authorizes Economic Development Incentive Program | Bill Passed - House (65 - 22) |
March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 1560 | Joining an Interstate Health Care Compact to Opt-Out of Federal Health Care Programs | Bill Passed - House (221 - 131) |
Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
March 29, 2012 | MI | HB 5061 | Requires Photo Identification for Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - House (65 - 45) |
March 29, 2012 | MO | HB 1046 | Requires Proof of Citizenship for Presidential Candidates | Bill Passed - House (92 - 49) |
Feb. 16, 2012 | KY | HB 70 | Authorizes People Convicted of Certain Felonies to Vote | Bill Passed - House (78 - 18) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | CO | HB 1301 | Authorizes Legislative Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (34 - 28) |
April 4, 2012 | LA | HB 209 | Reduces Voting Hours | Bill Passed - House (60 - 41) |
April 4, 2012 | CT | HJ 2 | Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason | Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50) |
April 4, 2012 | PA | HB 153 | Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly | Bill Passed - House (140 - 49) |
April 4, 2012 | PA | HB 153 | Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly | Bill Passed - House (140 - 49) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | HB 1666 | Limits State Contribution to Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - House (232 - 119) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | MS | HB 211 | Amends the Rules Regarding Hiring Outside Counsel | Bill Passed - House (59 - 56) |
Feb. 14, 2012 | SD | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
July 26, 2012 | National | HR 4078 | Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 172) |
July 31, 2012 | National | HR 828 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 114) |
Feb. 14, 2012 | SD | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
April 19, 2012 | MO | HB 1534 | Prohibits Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - House (108 - 44) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | MO | HB 1104 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (101 - 54) |
July 31, 2012 | National | HR 828 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 114) |
April 26, 2012 | MS | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 50) |
April 26, 2012 | MS | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 50) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | NM | HB 42 | Increasing Contribution to Legislative Pension Plan | Bill Passed - House (56 - 10) |
April 30, 2012 | CT | HB 5024 | Authorizes Election Day Registration | Bill Passed - House (83 - 59) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | KS | HB 2606 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (109 - 14) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | KS | HB 2606 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (109 - 14) |
Feb. 8, 2012 | National | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
Sept. 19, 2012 | National | HR 5912 | Prohibits Public Funding for Political Party Conventions | Bill Passed - House (310 - 95) |
May 7, 2012 | IA | HF 2475 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
May 8, 2012 | CT | HB 5556 | Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - House (94 - 54) |
Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
Feb. 8, 2012 | National | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
Feb. 8, 2012 | ID | HB 391 | Repeals the Presidential Primary Election | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |