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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 3, 2012 | AL | SB 63 | Authorizes Private Work-Oriented Rehbilitation Programs for Inmates | Bill Passed - House (73 - 22) |
April 3, 2012 | AL | SB 396 | Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
April 3, 2012 | AL | SB 396 | Compensation to Bridget Lee for Wrongful Incarceration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
April 9, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15) |
April 9, 2012 | AZ | HB 2434 | Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 17) |
April 9, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15) |
April 24, 2012 | AZ | SB 1182 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
April 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
April 19, 2012 | AZ | SB 1182 | Prohibits Enforcement of Certain Provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 22) |
April 4, 2012 | AZ | HB 2434 | Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
April 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
April 12, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
March 5, 2012 | AZ | HB 2125 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (45 - 15) |
April 12, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
March 6, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
March 6, 2012 | AZ | HB 2729 | Authorizes Guns in Certain Public Buildings | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
March 6, 2012 | AZ | SB 1359 | Prohibits Wrongful Birth Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
March 5, 2012 | AZ | SB 1495 | Requires Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SB 1336 | Limiting Manufacturer Eligibility for Punitive Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
Aug. 20, 2012 | CA | SB 9 | Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 472 | Authorizes Immunity for Reporting Drug Overdoses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 24) |
Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 29) |
Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 2327 | Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 18) |
Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 29) |
Aug. 24, 2012 | CA | AB 1081 | Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 26) |
Aug. 29, 2012 | CA | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 472 | Authorizes Immunity for Reporting Drug Overdoses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 24) |
Aug. 29, 2012 | CA | AB 2346 | Authorizes Farm Workers to Sue Employers for Health or Safety Violations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
Aug. 16, 2012 | CA | SB 9 | Sentence Reconsideration for Juvenile Offenders | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | AB 472 | Authorizes Immunity for Reporting Drug Overdoses | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 2346 | Authorizes Farm Workers to Sue Employers for Health or Safety Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | AB 2327 | Increases Penalties for the Misuse of Funds by Charitable Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
Aug. 21, 2012 | CA | HB 2676 | Increases Penalties For Agriculture Health And Safety Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
Aug. 23, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | AB 472 | Authorizes Immunity for Reporting Drug Overdoses | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
July 5, 2012 | CA | AB 1081 | Prohibits Excessive Detention of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Bill Passed - House (52 - 27) |
June 14, 2012 | CA | AB 2127 | Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
Aug. 23, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1506 | Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
Jan. 30, 2012 | CA | AB 327 | Amends Three Strikes Law | Bill Failed - House (33 - 35) |
April 12, 2012 | CA | AB 2127 | Authorizes Work Release for Certain Offenders | Bill Passed - House (48 - 24) |
May 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
May 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
May 3, 2012 | CA | AB 1527 | Prohibits Open Carry of Certain Unloaded Firearms | Bill Passed - House (44 - 29) |
May 31, 2012 | CA | SB 1506 | Reduces Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
May 30, 2012 | CA | SB 1476 | Authorizes Courts to Designate More than 2 Individuals as Parents of a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
May 29, 2012 | CA | AB 1447 | Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
May 3, 2012 | CA | AB 1527 | Prohibits Open Carry of Certain Unloaded Firearms | Bill Passed - House (44 - 29) |
April 5, 2012 | CO | HB 1271 | Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
April 26, 2012 | CO | SB 2 | Authorizes Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
March 20, 2012 | CO | HB 1111 | Voter Identification Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
Feb. 20, 2012 | CO | HB 1064 | Prohibits Gun Restrictions During Emergencies | Bill Passed - House (45 - 19) |
April 18, 2012 | CO | HB 1048 | Repeals State Background Checks for Gun Buyers | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
March 19, 2012 | CO | HB 1130 | Penalties for Violent Offenses Against Fetuses | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
Feb. 14, 2012 | CO | SB 20 | Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
Feb. 23, 2012 | CO | SB 147 | Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
Feb. 23, 2012 | CO | SB 147 | Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
Feb. 13, 2012 | CO | HB 1088 | Authorizes the Use of Deadly Force Against Intruders in a Place of Business | Bill Passed - House (35 - 26) |
May 2, 2012 | CO | SB 117 | Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
May 15, 2012 | CO | HB 1005 | Establishes Limits for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (38 - 24) |
Feb. 14, 2012 | CO | SB 20 | Authorizes Legal Immunity to Drug Overdose Reporters | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
March 19, 2012 | CO | HB 1271 | Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
April 11, 2012 | CT | SB 280 | Repeals the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (86 - 62) |
May 5, 2012 | CT | HB 5024 | Authorizes Election Day Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
April 19, 2012 | CT | SB 245 | Authorizes People to Record Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
April 30, 2012 | CT | HB 5024 | Authorizes Election Day Registration | Bill Passed - House (83 - 59) |
April 4, 2012 | CT | HJ 2 | Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason | Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50) |
April 4, 2012 | CT | SB 280 | Repeals the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
April 19, 2012 | CT | SB 245 | Authorizes People to Record Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
June 13, 2012 | DE | SB 204 | Extends the Gun Buy-back Program | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 13) |
March 1, 2012 | FL | HB 1209 | Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws | Bill Passed - House (92 - 24) |
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) |