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
Feb. 15, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
Feb. 15, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
Jan. 26, 2012 National H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Jan. 18, 2012 National H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176)
Jan. 18, 2012 KY HB 30 Authorizes Advertising on School Buses Bill Passed - House (67 - 29)
Jan. 19, 2012 MO HJR 43 Limits State Spending Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 54)
Jan. 18, 2012 NH CACR 13 Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101)
Jan. 18, 2012 NH CACR 13 Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101)
Feb. 3, 2012 National HR 3578 Amends Budget Baseline Bill Passed - House (235 - 177)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S Amdt 1472 Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
Feb. 2, 2012 CA SB 95 Increase State's Ability to Borrow Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Feb. 2, 2012 CA SB 95 Increase State's Ability to Borrow Bill Passed - House (54 - 17)
Feb. 6, 2012 UT HB 210 Restricts the Use of Severance Tax Revenue Bill Failed - House (36 - 39)
Feb. 2, 2012 CA SB 81 Funding For School Transportation Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Feb. 8, 2012 National HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
Feb. 8, 2012 GA HR 1162 Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
Feb. 23, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
Feb. 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (79 - 38)
Feb. 13, 2012 NM SB 9 Changes Corporate Income Tax Rates and Filing Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
Feb. 14, 2012 IA HF 2274 Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Exemption Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
Feb. 15, 2012 UT SB 112 Cable TV Tax Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
Feb. 7, 2012 UT SB 112 Cable TV Tax Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 16)
Feb. 14, 2012 FL SB 2038 Private Correctional Facilities Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/15 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
2/15 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
1/26 H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
1/18 H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176)
1/18 HB 30 Authorizes Advertising on School Buses Bill Passed - House (67 - 29)
1/19 HJR 43 Limits State Spending Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 54)
1/18 CACR 13 Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101)
1/18 CACR 13 Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101)
2/03 HR 3578 Amends Budget Baseline Bill Passed - House (235 - 177)
2/02 S Amdt 1472 Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
2/02 SB 95 Increase State's Ability to Borrow Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
2/02 SB 95 Increase State's Ability to Borrow Bill Passed - House (54 - 17)
2/06 HB 210 Restricts the Use of Severance Tax Revenue Bill Failed - House (36 - 39)
2/02 SB 81 Funding For School Transportation Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
2/08 HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
2/08 HR 1162 Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
2/23 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
2/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (79 - 38)
2/13 SB 9 Changes Corporate Income Tax Rates and Filing Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
2/14 HF 2274 Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Exemption Bill Passed - House (59 - 40)
2/15 SB 112 Cable TV Tax Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
2/07 SB 112 Cable TV Tax Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 16)
2/14 SB 2038 Private Correctional Facilities Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21)

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