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) |
| 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) |