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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 30, 2012 | NY | A 5039 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression | Bill Passed - House (81 - 59) |
April 30, 2012 | CA | AB 1960 | Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
May 9, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1096 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171) |
Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | H Amdt 141 | Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship | Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33) |
July 19, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1416 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166) |
Feb. 21, 2012 | VA | HB 189 | Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
Feb. 3, 2012 | VA | HB 189 | Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
March 21, 2012 | NH | HB 437 | Repeals Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (211 - 116) |
Feb. 23, 2012 | MD | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
Feb. 17, 2012 | MD | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (72 - 67) |
May 16, 2012 | National | HR 4970 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (222 - 205) |
Feb. 16, 2012 | NJ | S 1 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (42 - 33) |
Feb. 13, 2012 | NJ | S 1 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
April 26, 2012 | National | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1140 | Exempts Religious Institutions from Performing Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
Aug. 30, 2012 | CA | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
Aug. 28, 2012 | CA | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
May 30, 2012 | CA | SB 1172 | Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
April 26, 2012 | CO | SB 2 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
Feb. 22, 2012 | VA | SB 349 | Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | VA | SB 349 | Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
Feb. 8, 2012 | WA | SB 6239 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
Feb. 1, 2012 | WA | SB 6239 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |