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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Nov. 28, 2012 National S Amdt 2985 Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 1816 Authorizes Delaware Port Authority to Inspect Hazardous Materials Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA AB 1478 Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA ACR 161 Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Aug. 27, 2012 CA SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Aug. 20, 2012 CA AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
July 18, 2012 MI SB 1130 Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
June 21, 2012 National S Amdt 2372 Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43)
June 21, 2012 National S Amdt 2310 Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73)
June 21, 2012 National S 3240 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35)
June 19, 2012 National S Amdt 2181 Limits Farm Subsidies to Farmers with Incomes Under $250,000 Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 84)
June 19, 2012 National S Amdt 2156 Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66)
June 13, 2012 National S Amdt 2393 Repeals Sugar Subsidies Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46)
June 12, 2012 NC HB 819 Requirements for Calculating Sea Level Rise Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
June 6, 2012 NH HB 1490 Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
June 6, 2012 NH HB 1490 Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21)
May 31, 2012 IL SB 3442 Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
May 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
May 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
May 22, 2012 OH HB 473 Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
May 21, 2012 CA SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
May 3, 2012 HI SB 2785 Establishes Regulations for an Undersea Power Cable Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 3)
April 30, 2012 AZ HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
April 30, 2012 AZ HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/28 S Amdt 2985 Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37)
10/25 S 1816 Authorizes Delaware Port Authority to Inspect Hazardous Materials Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
8/30 AB 1478 Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
8/30 ACR 161 Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
8/27 SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
8/20 AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
7/18 SB 1130 Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
6/21 S Amdt 2372 Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43)
6/21 S Amdt 2310 Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73)
6/21 S 3240 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35)
6/19 S Amdt 2181 Limits Farm Subsidies to Farmers with Incomes Under $250,000 Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 84)
6/19 S Amdt 2156 Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66)
6/13 S Amdt 2393 Repeals Sugar Subsidies Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46)
6/12 HB 819 Requirements for Calculating Sea Level Rise Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
6/06 HB 1490 Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
6/06 HB 1490 Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
5/31 SB 1566 Increases License Plate Fees Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21)
5/31 SB 3442 Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15)
5/24 S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
5/24 S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
5/22 HB 473 Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
5/21 SB 1221 Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
5/03 SB 2785 Establishes Regulations for an Undersea Power Cable Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 3)
4/30 HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
4/30 HCR 2004 Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)

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