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
Dec. 14, 2012 MI SB 756 Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (74 - 33)
Dec. 13, 2012 OH HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 23)
Dec. 13, 2012 OH HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Dec. 4, 2012 IL SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
Oct. 18, 2012 NJ A 1711 Increases Penalties for Failing to Secure a Child in a Car Seat Bill Passed - House (63 - 16)
Oct. 4, 2012 NJ S 1761 Requires more Transparancy and Accountability from Port Authority Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 15)
Oct. 3, 2012 PA SB 1480 2012-2013 Supplemental Capital Budget Bill Passed - House (142 - 55)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
July 6, 2012 CA SB 1029 Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
July 5, 2012 CA SB 1029 Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail Bill Passed - House (52 - 28)
June 30, 2012 PA HB 254 Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 72)
June 30, 2012 PA HB 3 Authorizes Public-Private Partnerships for Transportation Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - House (117 - 79)
June 29, 2012 PA HB 254 Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
June 27, 2012 MA H 4174 Authorizes Funds for State Transportation Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
June 21, 2012 NJ A 1571 Increases Requirements for Learner's Permits Bill Passed - House (50 - 27)
June 18, 2012 PA HB 1521 Prohibits Hidden Compartments in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (114 - 83)
June 13, 2012 RI H 7782 Regulates Auto Insurance Company Claims and Practices Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
June 13, 2012 OH HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - House (59 - 28)
June 11, 2012 RI H 7782 Regulates Auto Insurance Company Claims and Practices Bill Passed - House (38 - 20)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Bill Passed - House (61 - 56)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 956 Regulates Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Loans and Lenders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
May 29, 2012 CA AB 1447 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
May 29, 2012 CA AB 1534 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Dealers to Label Used Vehicles Bill Passed - House (42 - 32)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/14 SB 756 Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (74 - 33)
12/13 HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 23)
12/13 HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
12/04 SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
10/18 A 1711 Increases Penalties for Failing to Secure a Child in a Car Seat Bill Passed - House (63 - 16)
10/04 S 1761 Requires more Transparancy and Accountability from Port Authority Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 15)
10/03 SB 1480 2012-2013 Supplemental Capital Budget Bill Passed - House (142 - 55)
8/30 AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21)
8/29 AB 2189 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
7/06 SB 1029 Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
7/05 SB 1029 Authorizes the Sale of State Bonds for a High-Speed Rail Bill Passed - House (52 - 28)
6/30 HB 254 Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 72)
6/30 HB 3 Authorizes Public-Private Partnerships for Transportation Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - House (117 - 79)
6/29 HB 254 Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
6/27 H 4174 Authorizes Funds for State Transportation Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
6/21 A 1571 Increases Requirements for Learner's Permits Bill Passed - House (50 - 27)
6/18 HB 1521 Prohibits Hidden Compartments in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (114 - 83)
6/13 H 7782 Regulates Auto Insurance Company Claims and Practices Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
6/13 HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - House (59 - 28)
6/11 H 7782 Regulates Auto Insurance Company Claims and Practices Bill Passed - House (38 - 20)
5/31 SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21)
5/31 SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Bill Passed - House (61 - 56)
5/31 SB 956 Regulates Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Loans and Lenders Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
5/29 AB 1447 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Car Sellers to Provide a Limited Warranty Bill Passed - House (49 - 25)
5/29 AB 1534 Requires Buy-Here-Pay-Here Dealers to Label Used Vehicles Bill Passed - House (42 - 32)

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