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
April 14, 2012 ME LD 1913 Worker's Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Dec. 6, 2012 MI SB 116 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
May 3, 2012 MN HF 2337 Amends Property Taxes Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 25)
May 3, 2012 MN SF 1694 Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks Veto Override Failed - Senate (37 - 29)
April 24, 2012 MN SF 1694 Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 17)
Feb. 27, 2012 MN HF 1870 Authorizes School Districts to Dismiss Teachers Based on Performance Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 26)
March 8, 2012 MO HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
Feb. 8, 2012 MO SB 592 Limits Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
Feb. 16, 2012 MO SB 572 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
April 30, 2012 MS SB 2576 Amends worker's compensation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15)
April 30, 2012 MS SB 2576 Amends worker's compensation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15)
March 14, 2012 MS SB 2576 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13)
March 14, 2012 MS SB 2576 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13)
July 19, 2012 National S 3364 Bring Jobs Home Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
June 5, 2012 National S 3220 Paycheck Fairness Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
July 19, 2012 National S 3364 Bring Jobs Home Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
July 12, 2012 National S 2237 Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44)
April 25, 2012 National S 1789 United States Postal Service Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37)
May 16, 2012 NH HB 1607 Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ S 3172 Authorizes Direct Shipping By Local and Out-of-State Wineries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Nov. 29, 2012 NJ A 2162 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
Nov. 29, 2012 NJ A 2162 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Nov. 29, 2012 NJ SCR 1 Increases Minimum Wage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
Nov. 29, 2012 NJ SCR 1 Increases Minimum Wage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/14 LD 1913 Worker's Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
12/06 SB 116 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
5/03 HF 2337 Amends Property Taxes Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 25)
5/03 SF 1694 Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks Veto Override Failed - Senate (37 - 29)
4/24 SF 1694 Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 17)
2/27 HF 1870 Authorizes School Districts to Dismiss Teachers Based on Performance Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 26)
3/08 HB 1219 Workplace Discrimination Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
2/08 SB 592 Limits Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
2/16 SB 572 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
4/30 SB 2576 Amends worker's compensation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15)
4/30 SB 2576 Amends worker's compensation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15)
3/14 SB 2576 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13)
3/14 SB 2576 Amends Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13)
7/19 S 3364 Bring Jobs Home Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
6/05 S 3220 Paycheck Fairness Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
7/19 S 3364 Bring Jobs Home Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
7/12 S 2237 Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44)
4/25 S 1789 United States Postal Service Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37)
5/16 HB 1607 Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
1/09 S 3172 Authorizes Direct Shipping By Local and Out-of-State Wineries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
11/29 A 2162 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
11/29 A 2162 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
10/25 S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
11/29 SCR 1 Increases Minimum Wage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
11/29 SCR 1 Increases Minimum Wage Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 16)

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