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
Aug. 28, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
July 19, 2012 National H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
May 16, 2012 National HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
May 9, 2012 National H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
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)
March 21, 2012 NH HB 437 Repeals Same-Sex Marriage "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (211 - 116)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
Feb. 22, 2012 VA SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
Feb. 17, 2012 MD HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (72 - 67)
Feb. 16, 2012 NJ S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (42 - 33)
Feb. 8, 2012 WA SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
Feb. 3, 2012 VA HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/28 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
7/19 H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
5/16 HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
5/09 H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
4/30 A 5039 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
4/30 AB 1960 Requires the Department of Transportation to Include Sexual Orientation Reported by Business Owners Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
3/21 HB 437 Repeals Same-Sex Marriage "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (211 - 116)
2/28 H Amdt 141 Defining Domestic Abuse as Abuse Witihin an Opposite-Sex Relationship Amendment Adopted - House (35 - 33)
2/22 SB 349 Authorizing Private Adoption Agencies to Refuse Certain Placements Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
2/17 HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (72 - 67)
2/16 S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (42 - 33)
2/08 SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
2/03 HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)

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