Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
Jan. 18, 2011 MS SB 2179 Restrictions on Employers of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
April 19, 2011 AZ SB 1406 Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Feb. 28, 2011 AZ SB 1406 Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
March 9, 2011 NM HB 78 Driver License and ID Card Restrictions for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 16)
April 14, 2011 GA HB 87 Immigration Enforcement Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
Feb. 23, 2011 SD SB 156 Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
March 14, 2011 GA SB 40 Immigration Status Verification of Private Business Workers Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21)
March 15, 2011 AZ SCR 1035 English as the Official Language Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
March 10, 2011 GA SB 162 DUIs a Felony for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
March 10, 2011 GA SB 162 DUIs a Felony for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Not Tabled - Senate (20 - 34)
March 10, 2011 SC S 20 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 9)
March 17, 2011 AZ SB 1309 Defines Arizona Citizenship Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19)
March 17, 2011 AZ SB 1308 Separate Birth Certificates for Non-Citizens Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18)
March 29, 2011 OR SB 742 Resident Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
March 4, 2011 UT HB 497 Immigration Enforcement Act Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
March 17, 2011 AZ SB 1611 Requires Verification of Citizenship for Certain Benefits Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19)
March 17, 2011 AZ SB 1405 Hospital Admissions and Restrictions Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18)
June 2, 2011 AL HB 56 Immigration Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 7)
April 11, 2011 MD SB 167 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 19)
April 6, 2011 AZ HB 2191 Punitive Damage Awards Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
April 18, 2011 CO SB 126 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
March 16, 2011 WA SB 5407 Prohibits Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Motion Rejected - Senate (23 - 25)
April 21, 2011 AL SB 256 Undocumented Immigrant Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate
March 14, 2011 OK SB 91 Proof of Presidential Candidates' Citizenship Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 10)
July 14, 2011 CA AB 130 Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
June 15, 2011 TX SB 9 Enforcement of Federal and State Immigration Laws Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
May 24, 2011 CT HB 6390 Access to Postsecondary Education Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
May 4, 2011 IL SB 2185 Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 11)
June 19, 2011 LA HB 342 Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/18 SB 2179 Restrictions on Employers of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
4/19 SB 1406 Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
2/28 SB 1406 Interstate Compact to Build a Border Fence Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
3/09 HB 78 Driver License and ID Card Restrictions for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 16)
4/14 HB 87 Immigration Enforcement Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
2/23 SB 156 Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
3/14 SB 40 Immigration Status Verification of Private Business Workers Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21)
3/15 SCR 1035 English as the Official Language Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
3/10 SB 162 DUIs a Felony for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
3/10 SB 162 DUIs a Felony for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Not Tabled - Senate (20 - 34)
3/10 S 20 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 9)
3/17 SB 1309 Defines Arizona Citizenship Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19)
3/17 SB 1308 Separate Birth Certificates for Non-Citizens Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18)
3/29 SB 742 Resident Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
3/04 HB 497 Immigration Enforcement Act Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
3/17 SB 1611 Requires Verification of Citizenship for Certain Benefits Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19)
3/17 SB 1405 Hospital Admissions and Restrictions Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18)
6/02 HB 56 Immigration Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 7)
4/11 SB 167 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 19)
4/06 HB 2191 Punitive Damage Awards Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
4/18 SB 126 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
3/16 SB 5407 Prohibits Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Motion Rejected - Senate (23 - 25)
4/21 SB 256 Undocumented Immigrant Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate
3/14 SB 91 Proof of Presidential Candidates' Citizenship Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 10)
7/14 AB 130 Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
6/15 SB 9 Enforcement of Federal and State Immigration Laws Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
5/24 HB 6390 Access to Postsecondary Education Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
5/04 SB 2185 Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 11)
6/19 HB 342 Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
9/06 AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)

arrow_upward