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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oct. 25, 2012 | NJ | S 2202 | Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
Oct. 25, 2012 | NJ | S 2157 | Establishes Residential Foreclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
June 29, 2012 | PA | HB 1261 | Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
June 25, 2012 | NJ | S 1566 | Authorizes the Conversion of Foreclosed Homes into Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2172 | Rescinds Bonuses to States for Administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 58) |
June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2174 | Limits Eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
June 15, 2012 | CA | AB 1464 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
June 13, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2392 | Reduces Funding for Food Stamps | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33) |
June 12, 2012 | RI | S 2052 | Homeless Bill of Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 2) |
June 5, 2012 | PA | SB 1310 | Authorizes Repayment of Unemployment Debt to the Federal Government | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
May 1, 2012 | CT | SB 79 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Unemployed Job Applicants | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
April 25, 2012 | TN | SB 2580 | Requires Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 599 | Prenatal Care for Children of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
April 9, 2012 | AK | SB 203 | Establishes an Energy Assistance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
March 29, 2012 | GA | HB 347 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 17) |
March 28, 2012 | AZ | HB 2519 | Expands the Requirements for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
March 27, 2012 | GA | HB 861 | Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
March 12, 2012 | AZ | SB 1388 | Job Training for Unemployed Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
March 7, 2012 | GA | SB 312 | Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
March 7, 2012 | GA | SB 292 | Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
March 5, 2012 | WY | HB 82 | Requires Drug Testing of Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
March 5, 2012 | AZ | SB 1495 | Requires Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
Feb. 24, 2012 | GA | SB 447 | Reduces Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
Feb. 14, 2012 | VA | SB 6 | Requires Drug Tests for Certain Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |