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. 28, 2012 | National | HR 5949 | FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23) |
Nov. 14, 2012 | National | S 3414 | Cybersecurity Act of 2012 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
Oct. 17, 2012 | PA | HB 815 | Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
Aug. 2, 2012 | National | S 3414 | Cybersecurity Act of 2012 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46) |
June 29, 2012 | PA | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
June 27, 2012 | DE | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
June 25, 2012 | NJ | A 763 | Increases Fees to Fund the E-Court Information System | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
June 21, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2372 | Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | HB 145 | Authorizes Individuals to Record Law Enforcement Officers | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 5440 | Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
May 8, 2012 | IA | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
May 3, 2012 | OH | HB 99 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
May 2, 2012 | MI | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
April 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2348 | Prohibits Cell Phone Use by Teens While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
March 23, 2012 | ID | S 1274 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
March 21, 2012 | AZ | HB 2757 | Authorizes Electronic Billboards | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
March 19, 2012 | SD | SB 157 | Prohibits Cities From Limiting Outdoor Digital Billboards | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
March 15, 2012 | MI | SB 756 | Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
March 15, 2012 | ID | S 1358 | Amends Bullying Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
March 14, 2012 | NY | S 6733 | Expands DNA Database to Include Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
March 13, 2012 | IA | SF 2275 | Authorizes Internet Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
March 8, 2012 | AZ | SB 1338 | Requires Online Retailers to Pay Sales Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 20) |
March 7, 2012 | UT | HB 187 | Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
Feb. 21, 2012 | ID | S 1274 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | AK | HB 311 | Amends Requirements for Electronic Campaign Finance Disclosure | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 2) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | UT | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
Feb. 7, 2012 | UT | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 16) |
Jan. 31, 2012 | NY | S 5560-A | Requires DNA Testing of All Persons Convicted of Certain Crimes | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/28 | HR 5949 | FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23) |
11/14 | S 3414 | Cybersecurity Act of 2012 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
10/17 | HB 815 | Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
8/02 | S 3414 | Cybersecurity Act of 2012 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46) |
6/29 | HB 254 | Expands Use of Red-Light Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
6/27 | HB 333 | Authorizes Online Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
6/25 | A 763 | Increases Fees to Fund the E-Court Information System | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
6/21 | S Amdt 2372 | Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43) |
6/06 | HB 145 | Authorizes Individuals to Record Law Enforcement Officers | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
5/31 | HB 5440 | Establishes a 5 Percent Fee on Satellite TV Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
5/08 | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
5/03 | HB 99 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
5/02 | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
4/03 | HB 2348 | Prohibits Cell Phone Use by Teens While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
3/23 | S 1274 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
3/21 | HB 2757 | Authorizes Electronic Billboards | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
3/19 | SB 157 | Prohibits Cities From Limiting Outdoor Digital Billboards | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
3/15 | SB 756 | Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
3/15 | S 1358 | Amends Bullying Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
3/14 | S 6733 | Expands DNA Database to Include Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
3/13 | SF 2275 | Authorizes Internet Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
3/08 | SB 1338 | Requires Online Retailers to Pay Sales Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 20) |
3/07 | HB 187 | Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
2/21 | S 1274 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
2/15 | HB 311 | Amends Requirements for Electronic Campaign Finance Disclosure | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 2) |
2/15 | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
2/07 | SB 112 | Cable TV Tax Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 16) |
1/31 | S 5560-A | Requires DNA Testing of All Persons Convicted of Certain Crimes | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 10) |