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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 26, 2012 | ID | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
March 15, 2012 | ID | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
April 11, 2012 | AZ | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15) |
April 5, 2012 | AZ | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
March 5, 2012 | GA | HB 717 | Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault | Bill Failed - House (82 - 73) |
April 28, 2012 | MN | HF 2171 | Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28) |
April 28, 2012 | MN | HF 2171 | Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62) |
Feb. 29, 2012 | National | HR 1837 | Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley | Bill Passed - House (246 - 175) |
March 28, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
March 22, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - House (38 - 29) |
Feb. 24, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
May 21, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
Feb. 7, 2012 | OR | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
3/26 | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
3/15 | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
4/11 | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15) |
4/05 | HB 2780 | Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
3/05 | HB 717 | Penalties for Owners of Dogs Involved in a Second Assault | Bill Failed - House (82 - 73) |
4/28 | HF 2171 | Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28) |
4/28 | HF 2171 | Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62) |
2/29 | HR 1837 | Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley | Bill Passed - House (246 - 175) |
3/28 | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
3/22 | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - House (38 - 29) |
2/24 | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
5/24 | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
8/27 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
8/22 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
5/21 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
2/07 | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |