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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Oct. 17, 2012 PA HB 2626 Authorizes Employers to Keep Income Taxes Paid by their Employees Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
Sept. 22, 2012 National H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA AB 1478 Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
July 25, 2012 National S Amdt 2573 Tax Hike Prevention Act of 2012 Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
July 25, 2012 National S 3412 Middle Class Tax Cut Act Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 48)
July 19, 2012 National S 3364 Bring Jobs Home Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
July 12, 2012 National S 2237 Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44)
July 6, 2012 CA SB 1029 Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
July 2, 2012 NC HB 950 2012-2013 Budget Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 10)
June 29, 2012 PA SB 1466 2012-2013 Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
June 28, 2012 NJ A 3201 Increases the Income Tax Rate on Incomes Over $1 million Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
June 21, 2012 NC HB 950 2012-2013 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 15)
June 15, 2012 CA AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
June 13, 2012 DE SB 204 Extends the Gun Buy-back Program Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13)
June 11, 2012 RI H 7323 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
June 11, 2012 RI H 7323 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
June 6, 2012 NH HB 1490 Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
May 31, 2012 MI HB 5365 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 16)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21)
May 31, 2012 IL HB 5440 Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27)
May 29, 2012 IL SB 2194 Increases Cigarette Tax Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 27)
May 24, 2012 IL SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13)
May 22, 2012 OK SB 1975 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
May 16, 2012 AL HB 433 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 6)
May 16, 2012 NH HB 1607 Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
May 15, 2012 MD SB 1302 Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
May 10, 2012 MI SB 1069 Personal Property Taxes: Credit for New Industrial Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 10, 2012 MI SB 1070 Establishes a Tax Exemption for Eligible Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 10, 2012 MI SB 1067 Personal Property Taxes: Continuation of Existing Exemptions for Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 10, 2012 MI SB 1072 Personal Property Taxes: Credit for Loss of Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
May 8, 2012 IA SF 2344 Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23)
May 8, 2012 IA SF 2344 Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23)
May 7, 2012 MN HF 1752 Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22)
May 3, 2012 MN HF 2337 Amends Property Taxes Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 25)
May 3, 2012 AZ HB 2815 Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
April 25, 2012 OK HB 3061 Reduces Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
April 24, 2012 AZ HB 2800 Prohibits State Funding for Abortion Providers Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
April 16, 2012 National S 2230 Establishes a Minimum 30 Percent Tax Rate for High-Income Taxpayers Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 45)
April 12, 2012 IA S 5206 Prohibits State Funding For Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 25)
April 11, 2012 WA HB 2565 Roll-Your-Own Cigarette Tax Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
April 10, 2012 CO SB 68 Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
April 7, 2012 WA SB 6636 Requires a Balanced Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
March 29, 2012 GA HB 347 Reduces Unemployment Benefits Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17)
March 29, 2012 ID H 563 Reduces Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
March 29, 2012 National S 2204 Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
March 28, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
March 26, 2012 GA HB 797 Establishes a State Charter School Commission Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/17 HB 2626 Authorizes Employers to Keep Income Taxes Paid by their Employees Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
9/22 H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
8/30 AB 1478 Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
7/25 S Amdt 2573 Tax Hike Prevention Act of 2012 Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
7/25 S 3412 Middle Class Tax Cut Act Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 48)
7/19 S 3364 Bring Jobs Home Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
7/12 S 2237 Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44)
7/06 SB 1029 Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
7/02 HB 950 2012-2013 Budget Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 10)
6/29 SB 1466 2012-2013 Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
6/28 A 3201 Increases the Income Tax Rate on Incomes Over $1 million Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
6/21 HB 950 2012-2013 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 15)
6/15 AB 1464 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
6/13 SB 204 Extends the Gun Buy-back Program Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13)
6/11 H 7323 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
6/11 H 7323 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
6/06 HB 1490 Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
6/06 CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
5/31 HB 5365 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 16)
5/31 SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21)
5/31 HB 5440 Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27)
5/29 SB 2194 Increases Cigarette Tax Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 27)
5/24 SB 2840 Limits Medicaid Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (44 - 13)
5/22 SB 1975 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
5/16 HB 433 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 6)
5/16 HB 1607 Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
5/15 SB 1302 Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
5/10 SB 1069 Personal Property Taxes: Credit for New Industrial Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/10 SB 1070 Establishes a Tax Exemption for Eligible Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/10 SB 1067 Personal Property Taxes: Continuation of Existing Exemptions for Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/10 SB 1072 Personal Property Taxes: Credit for Loss of Personal Property Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
5/08 SF 2344 Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23)
5/08 SF 2344 Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23)
5/07 HF 1752 Authorizes Bonds for Construction Works Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22)
5/03 HF 2337 Amends Property Taxes Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 25)
5/03 HB 2815 Establishes Tax Credits for Certain Businesses Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
4/25 HB 3061 Reduces Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
4/24 HB 2800 Prohibits State Funding for Abortion Providers Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
4/16 S 2230 Establishes a Minimum 30 Percent Tax Rate for High-Income Taxpayers Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 45)
4/12 S 5206 Prohibits State Funding For Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 25)
4/11 HB 2565 Roll-Your-Own Cigarette Tax Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
4/10 SB 68 Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
4/07 SB 6636 Requires a Balanced Budget Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
3/29 HB 347 Reduces Unemployment Benefits Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17)
3/29 H 563 Reduces Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
3/29 S 2204 Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
3/28 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
3/26 HB 797 Establishes a State Charter School Commission Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14)

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