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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 30, 2011 | CA | AB 353 | DUI Inspection Checkpoints and Unlicensed Drivers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| Aug. 30, 2011 | CA | SB 161 | Administration of Epilepsy Medication in Schools | Bill Passed - House (46 - 21) |
| July 21, 2011 | National | HR 1315 | Oversight of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | Bill Passed - House (241 - 173) |
| July 20, 2011 | National | HR 2553 | Airport and Airway Extension Act | Bill Passed - House (243 - 177) |
| July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 25 | 2011-2013 Health and Human Services Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 27) |
| July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 25 | 2011-2013 Health and Human Services Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 57) |
| July 12, 2011 | National | HR 2417 | Repeals Energy Efficiency Standards for Incandescent Light Bulbs | Motion Rejected - House (233 - 193) |
| July 5, 2011 | CA | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| July 1, 2011 | DE | SB 65 | Expansion of Criminal Nuisance Definition | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| June 30, 2011 | DE | HB 95 | Motorcycle Helmet Requirement | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (28 - 11) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
| June 29, 2011 | OR | HB 2726 | Certification for Smoke Shops | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| June 29, 2011 | TX | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Motion Rejected - House (96 - 26) |
| June 29, 2011 | NJ | A 2806 | Conversion of Certain Private Schools to Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (59 - 14) |
| June 27, 2011 | TX | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| June 24, 2011 | NY | A 8496 | Increases The Number Of Taxicabs Serving New York | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
| June 24, 2011 | National | HR 2278 | Limits the Use of Funds in Support of NATO Operations in Libya | Bill Failed - House (180 - 238) |
| June 24, 2011 | National | H J Res 68 | Authorizes Limited Use of US Armed Forces in Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (123 - 295) |
| June 23, 2011 | OR | HB 2726 | Certification for Smoke Shops | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| June 23, 2011 | DE | HB 95 | Motorcycle Helmet Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| June 23, 2011 | NJ | S 2937 | Pension and Health Care Benefits for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (46 - 32) |
| June 23, 2011 | NY | A 8514 | Health Benefit Exchange Act | Bill Passed - House (95 - 43) |
| June 22, 2011 | OH | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| June 22, 2011 | DE | SB 97 | Approval of Rental Prices on Certain Housing | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 9) |
| June 20, 2011 | NJ | S 2937 | Pension and Health Care Benefits for Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| June 16, 2011 | LA | HB 591 | Permanent Cigarette Tax | Veto Override Failed - House (58 - 44) |
| June 15, 2011 | NY | A 8446 | Extension of Rent Control Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| June 15, 2011 | OH | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| June 15, 2011 | NY | S 5596 | Revising The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22) |
| June 15, 2011 | NY | A 8446 | Extension of Rent Control Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 43) |
| June 15, 2011 | OH | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| June 13, 2011 | OR | HB 2541 | Amends Inheritance Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| June 13, 2011 | National | H Amdt 414 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Adopted - House (248 - 163) |
| June 9, 2011 | AL | HB 60 | Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 9) |
| June 9, 2011 | NJ | S 805 | Senior Tenants' Rent Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| June 9, 2011 | LA | HB 338 | Prohibits Handheld Cellular Devices While Driving | Bill Failed - House (33 - 55) |
| June 8, 2011 | National | S Amdt 392 | Debit Card Transactions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| June 7, 2011 | OR | SB 99 | Establishes the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - House (48 - 12) |
| June 6, 2011 | NV | AB 571 | Amending Smoking Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| June 6, 2011 | CT | HB 6308 | Establishes the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| June 5, 2011 | NV | AB 571 | Amending Smoking Regulations | Bill Passed - House (23 - 19) |
| June 3, 2011 | National | H Res 292 | Ground Forces in Libya | Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145) |
| June 3, 2011 | National | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
| June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 406 | Transportation Security Administration Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - House (219 - 204) |
| June 2, 2011 | LA | HB 591 | Permanent Cigarette Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 385 | Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213) |
| June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 398 | Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205) |
| June 2, 2011 | NC | HB 810 | Consumer Finance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - House (61 - 54) |
| June 2, 2011 | National | HR 2017 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (231 - 188) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/30 | AB 353 | DUI Inspection Checkpoints and Unlicensed Drivers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 8/30 | SB 161 | Administration of Epilepsy Medication in Schools | Bill Passed - House (46 - 21) |
| 7/21 | HR 1315 | Oversight of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | Bill Passed - House (241 - 173) |
| 7/20 | HR 2553 | Airport and Airway Extension Act | Bill Passed - House (243 - 177) |
| 7/19 | HF 25 | 2011-2013 Health and Human Services Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 27) |
| 7/19 | HF 25 | 2011-2013 Health and Human Services Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 57) |
| 7/12 | HR 2417 | Repeals Energy Efficiency Standards for Incandescent Light Bulbs | Motion Rejected - House (233 - 193) |
| 7/05 | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| 7/01 | SB 65 | Expansion of Criminal Nuisance Definition | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| 6/30 | HB 95 | Motorcycle Helmet Requirement | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (28 - 11) |
| 6/30 | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 6/30 | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
| 6/29 | HB 2726 | Certification for Smoke Shops | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| 6/29 | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Motion Rejected - House (96 - 26) |
| 6/29 | A 2806 | Conversion of Certain Private Schools to Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (59 - 14) |
| 6/27 | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 6/24 | A 8496 | Increases The Number Of Taxicabs Serving New York | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
| 6/24 | HR 2278 | Limits the Use of Funds in Support of NATO Operations in Libya | Bill Failed - House (180 - 238) |
| 6/24 | H J Res 68 | Authorizes Limited Use of US Armed Forces in Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (123 - 295) |
| 6/23 | HB 2726 | Certification for Smoke Shops | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 6/23 | HB 95 | Motorcycle Helmet Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 6/23 | S 2937 | Pension and Health Care Benefits for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (46 - 32) |
| 6/23 | A 8514 | Health Benefit Exchange Act | Bill Passed - House (95 - 43) |
| 6/22 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 6/22 | SB 97 | Approval of Rental Prices on Certain Housing | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 9) |
| 6/20 | S 2937 | Pension and Health Care Benefits for Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 6/16 | HB 591 | Permanent Cigarette Tax | Veto Override Failed - House (58 - 44) |
| 6/15 | A 8446 | Extension of Rent Control Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| 6/15 | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 6/15 | S 5596 | Revising The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22) |
| 6/15 | A 8446 | Extension of Rent Control Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 43) |
| 6/15 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 6/13 | HB 2541 | Amends Inheritance Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 6/13 | H Amdt 414 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Adopted - House (248 - 163) |
| 6/09 | HB 60 | Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 6/09 | S 805 | Senior Tenants' Rent Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 6/09 | HB 338 | Prohibits Handheld Cellular Devices While Driving | Bill Failed - House (33 - 55) |
| 6/08 | S Amdt 392 | Debit Card Transactions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 6/07 | SB 99 | Establishes the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - House (48 - 12) |
| 6/06 | AB 571 | Amending Smoking Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| 6/06 | HB 6308 | Establishes the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 6/05 | AB 571 | Amending Smoking Regulations | Bill Passed - House (23 - 19) |
| 6/03 | H Res 292 | Ground Forces in Libya | Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145) |
| 6/03 | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
| 6/02 | H Amdt 406 | Transportation Security Administration Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - House (219 - 204) |
| 6/02 | HB 591 | Permanent Cigarette Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 6/02 | H Amdt 385 | Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213) |
| 6/02 | H Amdt 398 | Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205) |
| 6/02 | HB 810 | Consumer Finance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - House (61 - 54) |
| 6/02 | HR 2017 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (231 - 188) |