Key Votes

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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
Sept. 6, 2011 CA AB 376 Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
July 27, 2011 National H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
June 23, 2011 DE SB 129 Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7)
April 20, 2011 OR HB 2337 Cougar Hunting Zones Bill Passed - House (45 - 14)
April 20, 2011 WA SB 5622 Recreation Access on State Lands Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
April 14, 2011 AL HB 126 Extending Forever Wild Land Trust Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
April 13, 2011 MO SB 113 Regulating Animal Care Facilities Bill Passed - House (85 - 71)
March 23, 2011 IA SF 464 Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves Bill Passed - House (58 - 39)
March 22, 2011 IA SF 464 Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
March 10, 2011 MO SB 113 Regulating Animal Care Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Jan. 27, 2011 WY SF 100 Cruelty to Animals Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
Jan. 19, 2011 MT SB 112 Authorizes the Use of Hand-Thrown Spears Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/06 AB 376 Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
7/27 H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
6/23 SB 129 Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7)
4/20 HB 2337 Cougar Hunting Zones Bill Passed - House (45 - 14)
4/20 SB 5622 Recreation Access on State Lands Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
4/14 HB 126 Extending Forever Wild Land Trust Bill Passed - House (69 - 24)
4/13 SB 113 Regulating Animal Care Facilities Bill Passed - House (85 - 71)
3/23 SF 464 Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves Bill Passed - House (58 - 39)
3/22 SF 464 Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
3/10 SB 113 Regulating Animal Care Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
1/27 SF 100 Cruelty to Animals Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
1/19 SB 112 Authorizes the Use of Hand-Thrown Spears Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)

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