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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 14, 2011 National HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136)
Nov. 30, 2011 NH CACR 14 Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264)
Nov. 18, 2011 National H J Res 2 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165)
Sept. 12, 2011 NC SB 514 Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage Bill Passed - House (75 - 42)
Aug. 1, 2011 National S 365 Budget Control Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (269 - 161)
July 29, 2011 National S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
July 19, 2011 National HR 2560 Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (234 - 190)
June 30, 2011 RI S 400 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (51 - 22)
June 23, 2011 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - House (108 - 88)
June 22, 2011 OH SJR 1 Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 39)
June 9, 2011 ME LD 1376 Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (72 - 65)
May 27, 2011 NV AB 552 DNA Samples for Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (31 - 11)
May 26, 2011 National S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153)
May 25, 2011 TX HB 359 Corporal Punishment in Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64)
May 21, 2011 MN SF 1308 Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 62)
May 16, 2011 TX SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46)
May 13, 2011 TX HB 359 Corporal Punishment in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
May 4, 2011 FL HJR 1179 Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34)
May 4, 2011 FL SJR 2 Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 37)
April 27, 2011 FL HJR 1179 Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions Joint Resolution Passed - House (82 - 35)
April 26, 2011 SC H 3003 Voter ID Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36)
April 20, 2011 AZ HB 2230 Relating to the 9/11 Memorial Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 20)
April 15, 2011 FL HJR 7111 Amends the Division of the Florida Supreme Court Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 38)
April 14, 2011 TN SB 16 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (57 - 35)
April 7, 2011 NC HB 61 Term Limits for Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate Amendment Adopted - House (72 - 46)
April 5, 2011 AL HB 60 Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 28)
March 30, 2011 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - House (256 - 117)
March 24, 2011 TX SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (101 - 48)
March 24, 2011 AL HB 60 Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 28)
March 22, 2011 AL HB 19 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (64 - 31)
March 22, 2011 MT HB 574 Clarifying Montana Constitution with Regards to Abortion Amendment Adopted - House (66 - 31)
March 21, 2011 AR HB 1797 Requires Proof of Identity to Vote Bill Passed - House (53 - 36)
March 9, 2011 MD Amendment 223923 Civil Marriage Protection Act Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72)
March 4, 2011 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws
Feb. 25, 2011 KS HB 2067 Voter Photographic Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (83 - 36)
Feb. 22, 2011 GA HB 92 Limits Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (148 - 20)
Feb. 22, 2011 CO HB 1003 Changes to Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
Feb. 17, 2011 National HR 514 Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 143)
Feb. 17, 2011 IA HF 260 House Rule School Governance Bill Passed - House (65 - 30)
Feb. 16, 2011 SC H 3507 Call For Constitutional Convention Resolution Passed - House (72 - 44)
Feb. 16, 2011 MT HB 206 Constitutional Amendment on Freedom to Choose Health Insurance Coverage Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 31)
Feb. 15, 2011 AR SB 154 Cell Phones in School Zones Bill Passed - House (52 - 41)
Feb. 14, 2011 National HR 514 Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions Bill Passed - House (275 - 144)
Feb. 11, 2011 KS HCR 5007 Prohibiting Mandated Health Insurance Bill Passed - House (91 - 27)
Feb. 8, 2011 WY HB 204 Patriotism in the Classroom Bill Passed - House (52 - 5)
Feb. 8, 2011 National HR 514 Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions Bill Failed - House (277 - 148)
Feb. 1, 2011 IA HJR 6 Banning Same Sex Marriage Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37)
Jan. 26, 2011 SC H 3003 Voter ID Bill Passed - House (74 - 45)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/14 HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136)
11/30 CACR 14 Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264)
11/18 H J Res 2 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165)
9/12 SB 514 Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage Bill Passed - House (75 - 42)
8/01 S 365 Budget Control Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (269 - 161)
7/29 S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
7/19 HR 2560 Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (234 - 190)
6/30 S 400 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (51 - 22)
6/23 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - House (108 - 88)
6/22 SJR 1 Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 39)
6/09 LD 1376 Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (72 - 65)
5/27 AB 552 DNA Samples for Felony Charges Bill Passed - House (31 - 11)
5/26 S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153)
5/25 HB 359 Corporal Punishment in Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64)
5/21 SF 1308 Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 62)
5/16 SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46)
5/13 HB 359 Corporal Punishment in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (84 - 55)
5/04 HJR 1179 Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34)
5/04 SJR 2 Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 37)
4/27 HJR 1179 Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions Joint Resolution Passed - House (82 - 35)
4/26 H 3003 Voter ID Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36)
4/20 HB 2230 Relating to the 9/11 Memorial Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 20)
4/15 HJR 7111 Amends the Division of the Florida Supreme Court Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 38)
4/14 SB 16 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (57 - 35)
4/07 HB 61 Term Limits for Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate Amendment Adopted - House (72 - 46)
4/05 HB 60 Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 28)
3/30 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - House (256 - 117)
3/24 SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (101 - 48)
3/24 HB 60 Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 28)
3/22 HB 19 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (64 - 31)
3/22 HB 574 Clarifying Montana Constitution with Regards to Abortion Amendment Adopted - House (66 - 31)
3/21 HB 1797 Requires Proof of Identity to Vote Bill Passed - House (53 - 36)
3/09 Amendment 223923 Civil Marriage Protection Act Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72)
3/04 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws
2/25 HB 2067 Voter Photographic Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (83 - 36)
2/22 HB 92 Limits Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (148 - 20)
2/22 HB 1003 Changes to Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
2/17 HR 514 Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 143)
2/17 HF 260 House Rule School Governance Bill Passed - House (65 - 30)
2/16 H 3507 Call For Constitutional Convention Resolution Passed - House (72 - 44)
2/16 HB 206 Constitutional Amendment on Freedom to Choose Health Insurance Coverage Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 31)
2/15 SB 154 Cell Phones in School Zones Bill Passed - House (52 - 41)
2/14 HR 514 Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions Bill Passed - House (275 - 144)
2/11 HCR 5007 Prohibiting Mandated Health Insurance Bill Passed - House (91 - 27)
2/08 HB 204 Patriotism in the Classroom Bill Passed - House (52 - 5)
2/08 HR 514 Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions Bill Failed - House (277 - 148)
2/01 HJR 6 Banning Same Sex Marriage Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37)
1/26 H 3003 Voter ID Bill Passed - House (74 - 45)

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