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. 18, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
Dec. 15, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
Dec. 1, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
Nov. 30, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
July 1, 2010 | NY | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - House (95 - 44) |
June 24, 2010 | NY | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
May 28, 2010 | National | HR 5136 | 2010-2011 Defense Appropriation Authorizations | Bill Passed - House (229 - 186) |
May 27, 2010 | National | H Amdt 672 | Repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" After Military Review and Certification | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 194) |
May 12, 2010 | MN | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
May 11, 2010 | MN | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Bill Passed - House (78 - 55) |
April 29, 2010 | HI | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 20) |
March 9, 2010 | VA | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42) |
March 2, 2010 | NY | A 5710 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (100 - 43) |
Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | HB 1590 | Repealing Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (210 - 109) |
Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | CACR 28 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (201 - 135) |
Feb. 9, 2010 | IA | HJR 6 | Constitutionally Defining Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman | Motion Rejected - House (45 - 54) |
Feb. 8, 2010 | VA | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
Jan. 28, 2010 | IN | SJR 13 | Defining Marriage as Being Between One Man and One Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
Jan. 22, 2010 | HI | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
Jan. 7, 2010 | NJ | S 1967 | Legalizing Same Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/18 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
12/15 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
12/01 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
11/30 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
7/01 | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - House (95 - 44) |
6/24 | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
5/28 | HR 5136 | 2010-2011 Defense Appropriation Authorizations | Bill Passed - House (229 - 186) |
5/27 | H Amdt 672 | Repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" After Military Review and Certification | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 194) |
5/12 | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
5/11 | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Bill Passed - House (78 - 55) |
4/29 | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 20) |
3/09 | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42) |
3/02 | A 5710 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (100 - 43) |
2/17 | HB 1590 | Repealing Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (210 - 109) |
2/17 | CACR 28 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (201 - 135) |
2/09 | HJR 6 | Constitutionally Defining Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman | Motion Rejected - House (45 - 54) |
2/08 | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
1/28 | SJR 13 | Defining Marriage as Being Between One Man and One Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
1/22 | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
1/07 | S 1967 | Legalizing Same Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |