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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 6, 2011 | National | PN 5 | Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
Nov. 1, 2011 | WI | AB 69 | Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
Nov. 1, 2011 | WI | AB 147 | Inadmissibility of Apology Statements by Health Care Providers | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
Oct. 27, 2011 | IL | SB 1701 | Legal Immunity for Individuals Seeking Treatment for Drug Overdose | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
Oct. 27, 2011 | WI | SB 12 | Limits Attorney Fees in Consumer Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
Oct. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
Sept. 8, 2011 | National | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9) |
June 27, 2011 | PA | SB 1131 | Tort Amendments | Bill Passed - House (116 - 83) |
June 23, 2011 | National | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (304 - 117) |
June 21, 2011 | PA | SB 1131 | Tort Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
May 27, 2011 | CT | HB 6650 | Appropriations for Judicial Branch and Other Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
May 12, 2011 | MI | HB 4484 | State Tax on Retirement Distributions for Judges and State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
April 28, 2011 | MI | HB 4484 | State Tax on Retirement Distributions for Judges and State Officials | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
April 20, 2011 | NC | SB 33 | Medical Malpractice Amendments | Bill Passed - House (91 - 27) |
April 15, 2011 | FL | HJR 7111 | Amends the Division of the Florida Supreme Court | Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 38) |
April 14, 2011 | GA | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 3) |
April 11, 2011 | PA | HB 1 | Comparative Negligence Provisions | Bill Passed - House (112 - 88) |
April 11, 2011 | AZ | HB 2191 | Punitive Damage Awards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 17) |
April 8, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
April 6, 2011 | AZ | HB 2191 | Punitive Damage Awards | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
April 5, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
March 23, 2011 | KS | SB 83 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Bill Passed - House (66 - 57) |
March 15, 2011 | NH | HB 89 | State Lawsuit against the Federal Health Care Law | Bill Passed - House (259 - 107) |
March 8, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - House (74 - 66) |
March 3, 2011 | MT | HB 521 | Referendum to Revise Judicial Election Laws | Bill Failed - House (45 - 54) |
March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
March 2, 2011 | NC | SB 33 | Medical Malpractice Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
Feb. 28, 2011 | GA | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - House (162 - 5) |
Feb. 23, 2011 | OK | SB 863 | Compensation for Non-Economic Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
Feb. 22, 2011 | WY | HB 39 | Funding for Lawsuit Against Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 19) |
Feb. 22, 2011 | UT | SB 96 | Alimony Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17) |
Feb. 18, 2011 | MT | SB 268 | Election of Supreme Court Justices by District | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
Feb. 17, 2011 | SD | HB 1171 | Fetus Protection Bill | Bill Tabled - House (61 - 4) |
Feb. 7, 2011 | WY | HB 198 | Admissibility of Evidence in Sex Offense Cases | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
Feb. 3, 2011 | VA | SB 831 | Amending the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
Jan. 20, 2011 | WI | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
Jan. 18, 2011 | WI | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/06 | PN 5 | Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
11/01 | AB 69 | Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
11/01 | AB 147 | Inadmissibility of Apology Statements by Health Care Providers | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
10/27 | SB 1701 | Legal Immunity for Individuals Seeking Treatment for Drug Overdose | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
10/27 | SB 12 | Limits Attorney Fees in Consumer Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
10/21 | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
9/08 | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9) |
6/27 | SB 1131 | Tort Amendments | Bill Passed - House (116 - 83) |
6/23 | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (304 - 117) |
6/21 | SB 1131 | Tort Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
5/27 | HB 6650 | Appropriations for Judicial Branch and Other Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
5/12 | HB 4484 | State Tax on Retirement Distributions for Judges and State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
4/28 | HB 4484 | State Tax on Retirement Distributions for Judges and State Officials | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
4/20 | SB 33 | Medical Malpractice Amendments | Bill Passed - House (91 - 27) |
4/15 | HJR 7111 | Amends the Division of the Florida Supreme Court | Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 38) |
4/14 | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 3) |
4/11 | HB 1 | Comparative Negligence Provisions | Bill Passed - House (112 - 88) |
4/11 | HB 2191 | Punitive Damage Awards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 17) |
4/08 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
4/06 | HB 2191 | Punitive Damage Awards | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
4/05 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
3/23 | SB 83 | Amends Judicial Appointment Process | Bill Passed - House (66 - 57) |
3/15 | HB 89 | State Lawsuit against the Federal Health Care Law | Bill Passed - House (259 - 107) |
3/08 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - House (74 - 66) |
3/03 | HB 521 | Referendum to Revise Judicial Election Laws | Bill Failed - House (45 - 54) |
3/02 | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
3/02 | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
3/02 | SB 33 | Medical Malpractice Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
2/28 | HB 24 | Amending Rules of Evidence | Bill Passed - House (162 - 5) |
2/23 | SB 863 | Compensation for Non-Economic Damages | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
2/22 | HB 39 | Funding for Lawsuit Against Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 19) |
2/22 | SB 96 | Alimony Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17) |
2/18 | SB 268 | Election of Supreme Court Justices by District | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
2/17 | HB 1171 | Fetus Protection Bill | Bill Tabled - House (61 - 4) |
2/07 | HB 198 | Admissibility of Evidence in Sex Offense Cases | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
2/03 | SB 831 | Amending the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
1/20 | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
1/18 | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |