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 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
Aug. 15, 2012 | MI | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
June 5, 2012 | PA | SB 1310 | Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | AB 1640 | Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
Feb. 23, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
June 15, 2012 | CA | AB 1464 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
June 29, 2012 | PA | HB 1261 | Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
April 10, 2012 | WA | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
April 11, 2012 | WA | SB 5940 | Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
March 28, 2012 | AZ | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
June 13, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2392 | Reduces Funding for Food Stamps | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33) |
March 7, 2012 | GA | SB 312 | Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
March 14, 2012 | NY | S 6735 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
April 25, 2012 | National | S 1789 | United States Postal Service Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
May 15, 2012 | MD | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
May 17, 2012 | MI | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
Feb. 28, 2012 | WY | SF 59 | Limits Cost-of-Living Adjustments to State Employee Retirement Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
April 9, 2012 | AK | SB 203 | Establishes an Energy Assistance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
July 18, 2012 | MI | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (16 - 22) |
March 5, 2012 | WY | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2172 | Rescinds Bonuses to States for Administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 58) |
June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2174 | Limits Eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
3/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
3/29 | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
8/15 | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
6/05 | SB 1310 | Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
8/22 | AB 1640 | Expands Cash Assistance Programs for Pregnant Teenagers | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
2/23 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
2/27 | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
6/15 | AB 1464 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
6/29 | HB 1261 | Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
4/10 | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
4/11 | SB 5940 | Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
3/28 | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
6/13 | S Amdt 2392 | Reduces Funding for Food Stamps | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33) |
3/07 | SB 312 | Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
3/14 | S 6735 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
4/25 | S 1789 | United States Postal Service Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
5/15 | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
5/17 | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
2/28 | SF 59 | Limits Cost-of-Living Adjustments to State Employee Retirement Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
4/09 | SB 203 | Establishes an Energy Assistance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
7/18 | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (16 - 22) |
3/05 | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
6/19 | S Amdt 2172 | Rescinds Bonuses to States for Administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 58) |
6/19 | S Amdt 2174 | Limits Eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |