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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 20, 2011 | WI | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
Jan. 18, 2011 | WI | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
Feb. 3, 2011 | VA | SB 831 | Amending the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
Feb. 7, 2011 | WY | HB 198 | Admissibility of Evidence in Sex Offense Cases | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
Feb. 17, 2011 | SD | HB 1171 | Fetus Protection Bill | Bill Tabled - House (61 - 4) |
Feb. 18, 2011 | MT | SB 268 | Election of Supreme Court Justices by District | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
Feb. 22, 2011 | WY | HB 39 | Funding for Lawsuit Against Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 19) |
Feb. 22, 2011 | UT | SB 96 | Alimony Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17) |
Feb. 23, 2011 | OK | SB 863 | Compensation for Non-Economic Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
April 20, 2011 | NC | SB 33 | Medical Malpractice Amendments | Bill Passed - House (91 - 27) |
March 2, 2011 | NC | SB 33 | Medical Malpractice Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
March 3, 2011 | MT | HB 521 | Referendum to Revise Judicial Election Laws | Bill Failed - House (45 - 54) |
March 15, 2011 | NH | HB 89 | State Lawsuit against the Federal Health Care Law | Bill Passed - House (259 - 107) |
March 8, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - House (74 - 66) |
April 11, 2011 | PA | HB 1 | Comparative Negligence Provisions | Bill Passed - House (112 - 88) |
April 11, 2011 | AZ | HB 2191 | Punitive Damage Awards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 17) |
April 6, 2011 | AZ | HB 2191 | Punitive Damage Awards | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
May 12, 2011 | MI | HB 4484 | State Tax on Retirement Distributions for Judges and State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
April 28, 2011 | MI | HB 4484 | State Tax on Retirement Distributions for Judges and State Officials | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
April 14, 2011 | GA | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 3) |
Feb. 28, 2011 | GA | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - House (162 - 5) |
May 27, 2011 | CT | HB 6650 | Appropriations for Judicial Branch and Other Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
April 8, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
April 5, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
April 15, 2011 | FL | HJR 7111 | Amends the Division of the Florida Supreme Court | Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 38) |
June 23, 2011 | National | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (304 - 117) |
Sept. 8, 2011 | National | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9) |
June 27, 2011 | PA | SB 1131 | Tort Amendments | Bill Passed - House (116 - 83) |
June 21, 2011 | PA | SB 1131 | Tort Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
Oct. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
Oct. 27, 2011 | WI | SB 12 | Limits Attorney Fees in Consumer Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
Nov. 1, 2011 | WI | AB 147 | Inadmissibility of Apology Statements by Health Care Providers | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
Nov. 1, 2011 | WI | AB 69 | Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
Dec. 6, 2011 | National | PN 5 | Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
March 23, 2011 | KS | SB 83 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Bill Passed - House (66 - 57) |
Oct. 27, 2011 | IL | SB 1701 | Legal Immunity for Individuals Seeking Treatment for Drug Overdose | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
1/20 | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
1/18 | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
2/03 | SB 831 | Amending the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
2/07 | HB 198 | Admissibility of Evidence in Sex Offense Cases | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
2/17 | HB 1171 | Fetus Protection Bill | Bill Tabled - House (61 - 4) |
2/18 | SB 268 | Election of Supreme Court Justices by District | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
2/22 | HB 39 | Funding for Lawsuit Against Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 19) |
2/22 | SB 96 | Alimony Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17) |
2/23 | SB 863 | Compensation for Non-Economic Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
3/02 | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
3/02 | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
4/20 | SB 33 | Medical Malpractice Amendments | Bill Passed - House (91 - 27) |
3/02 | SB 33 | Medical Malpractice Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
3/03 | HB 521 | Referendum to Revise Judicial Election Laws | Bill Failed - House (45 - 54) |
3/15 | HB 89 | State Lawsuit against the Federal Health Care Law | Bill Passed - House (259 - 107) |
3/08 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - House (74 - 66) |
4/11 | HB 1 | Comparative Negligence Provisions | Bill Passed - House (112 - 88) |
4/11 | HB 2191 | Punitive Damage Awards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 17) |
4/06 | HB 2191 | Punitive Damage Awards | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
5/12 | HB 4484 | State Tax on Retirement Distributions for Judges and State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
4/28 | HB 4484 | State Tax on Retirement Distributions for Judges and State Officials | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
4/14 | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 3) |
2/28 | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - House (162 - 5) |
5/27 | HB 6650 | Appropriations for Judicial Branch and Other Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
4/08 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
4/05 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
4/15 | HJR 7111 | Amends the Division of the Florida Supreme Court | Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 38) |
6/23 | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (304 - 117) |
9/08 | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9) |
6/27 | SB 1131 | Tort Amendments | Bill Passed - House (116 - 83) |
6/21 | SB 1131 | Tort Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
10/21 | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
10/27 | SB 12 | Limits Attorney Fees in Consumer Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
11/01 | AB 147 | Inadmissibility of Apology Statements by Health Care Providers | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
11/01 | AB 69 | Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
12/06 | PN 5 | Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
3/23 | SB 83 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Bill Passed - House (66 - 57) |
10/27 | SB 1701 | Legal Immunity for Individuals Seeking Treatment for Drug Overdose | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |