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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 6, 2012 | MI | SB 116 | Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
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) |
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) |
Nov. 29, 2012 | NJ | S 2241 | Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
Oct. 25, 2012 | NJ | S 1650 | Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
Oct. 17, 2012 | PA | HB 2626 | Authorizes Employers to Keep Income Taxes Paid by their Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
Aug. 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1234 | Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
Aug. 29, 2012 | CA | AB 889 | Establishes Work Condition Requirements for Domestic Work Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
Aug. 28, 2012 | CA | AB 2132 | Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 2346 | Authorizes Farm Workers to Sue Employers for Health or Safety Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | AB 2327 | Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
Aug. 21, 2012 | CA | HB 2676 | Increases Penalties For Agriculture Health And Safety Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
Aug. 20, 2012 | CA | AB 1313 | Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
July 19, 2012 | National | S 3364 | Bring Jobs Home Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
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) |
June 14, 2012 | CA | AB 2127 | Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
June 11, 2012 | RI | H 7323 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
June 7, 2012 | RI | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
June 7, 2012 | RI | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
June 5, 2012 | National | S 3220 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 5440 | Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 956 | Regulates Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Loans and Lenders | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
May 30, 2012 | LA | HB 61 | Amends State Workers Pensions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 8) |
May 30, 2012 | CA | SB 1234 | Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
May 30, 2012 | CA | SB 1054 | Requires Notifying Property Owners Prior to Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
May 29, 2012 | IL | SB 2194 | Increases Cigarette Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
May 16, 2012 | NH | HB 1607 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
May 16, 2012 | AL | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
May 15, 2012 | MD | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
May 10, 2012 | LA | SB 740 | Limits Cost of Living Adjustments for Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
May 10, 2012 | DE | SB 205 | Requires Manufactured Home Community Owners to Explain Rent Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
May 8, 2012 | CT | HB 5556 | Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
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) |
May 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
May 3, 2012 | KS | HB 2333 | Amends State Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
May 3, 2012 | KS | King Amendment | Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20) |
May 2, 2012 | AL | SB 513 | Authorizes Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
May 1, 2012 | CT | HB 5021 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
May 1, 2012 | CT | SB 79 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
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) |
April 25, 2012 | National | S 1789 | United States Postal Service Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
April 24, 2012 | MN | SF 1694 | Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 17) |
April 18, 2012 | OK | HB 2155 | Authorizes an Alternative Plan to the Worker's Compensation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/06 | SB 116 | Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
11/29 | A 2162 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
11/29 | A 2162 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 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) |
11/29 | S 2241 | Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
10/25 | S 1650 | Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
10/17 | HB 2626 | Authorizes Employers to Keep Income Taxes Paid by their Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
8/31 | SB 1234 | Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
8/29 | AB 889 | Establishes Work Condition Requirements for Domestic Work Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
8/28 | AB 2132 | Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
8/27 | AB 2346 | Authorizes Farm Workers to Sue Employers for Health or Safety Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
8/22 | AB 2327 | Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
8/21 | HB 2676 | Increases Penalties For Agriculture Health And Safety Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
8/20 | AB 1313 | Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
7/19 | S 3364 | Bring Jobs Home Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
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) |
6/14 | AB 2127 | Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
6/11 | H 7323 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
6/07 | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
6/07 | S 2374 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
6/05 | S 3220 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47) |
5/31 | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
5/31 | HB 5440 | Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
5/31 | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
5/31 | SB 956 | Regulates Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Loans and Lenders | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
5/30 | HB 61 | Amends State Workers Pensions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 8) |
5/30 | SB 1234 | Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
5/30 | SB 1054 | Requires Notifying Property Owners Prior to Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
5/29 | SB 2194 | Increases Cigarette Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
5/16 | HB 1607 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
5/16 | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
5/15 | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
5/10 | SB 740 | Limits Cost of Living Adjustments for Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
5/10 | SB 205 | Requires Manufactured Home Community Owners to Explain Rent Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
5/08 | HB 5556 | Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
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) |
5/03 | HB 2815 | Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
5/03 | HB 2333 | Amends State Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
5/03 | King Amendment | Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20) |
5/02 | SB 513 | Authorizes Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
5/01 | HB 5021 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
5/01 | SB 79 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
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) |
4/25 | S 1789 | United States Postal Service Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
4/24 | SF 1694 | Authorizes the Sale of Certain Fireworks | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 17) |
4/18 | HB 2155 | Authorizes an Alternative Plan to the Worker's Compensation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |