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
Dec. 28, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
Dec. 21, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107)
Dec. 17, 2012 NJ A 2578 Authorizes Internet Gaming at Atlantic City Casinos Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
Dec. 14, 2012 MI SB 756 Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (74 - 33)
Dec. 13, 2012 OH HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 23)
Dec. 13, 2012 OH HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Dec. 5, 2012 OH HB 605 Prohibits Gambling In Internet Cafes Bill Passed - House (63 - 30)
Dec. 4, 2012 IL SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
Dec. 3, 2012 NJ S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - House (43 - 32)
Nov. 30, 2012 National S Amdt 3025 Requires Sufficient Sizing of Civilian and Contract Services Workforces Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 53)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3096 Accelerated Transition of US Military Operations to the Government of Afghanistan Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 33)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3058 Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
Nov. 29, 2012 NJ S 2241 Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Nov. 28, 2012 National S Amdt 2985 Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37)
Nov. 28, 2012 National S Amdt 2985 Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37)
Nov. 28, 2012 National S Amdt 3095 Repeals the Prohibition on Biofuel Refinery Construction Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
Nov. 14, 2012 National S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Oct. 18, 2012 NJ A 1711 Increases Penalties for Failing to Secure a Child in a Car Seat Bill Passed - House (63 - 16)
Oct. 18, 2012 NJ S 2135 Establishes the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Bill Passed - House (43 - 33)
Oct. 17, 2012 MI SB 1294 Requires Blue Cross Blue Shield to Begin Paying State Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/28 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
12/21 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
12/20 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107)
12/17 A 2578 Authorizes Internet Gaming at Atlantic City Casinos Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
12/14 SB 756 Prohibits Teens from Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (74 - 33)
12/13 HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 23)
12/13 HB 495 Amends Definition of Loaded Gun Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
12/05 HB 605 Prohibits Gambling In Internet Cafes Bill Passed - House (63 - 30)
12/04 SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
12/03 S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - House (43 - 32)
11/30 S Amdt 3025 Requires Sufficient Sizing of Civilian and Contract Services Workforces Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 53)
11/29 S Amdt 3096 Accelerated Transition of US Military Operations to the Government of Afghanistan Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 33)
11/29 S Amdt 3058 Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29)
11/29 S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
11/29 S 2241 Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
11/28 S Amdt 2985 Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37)
11/28 S Amdt 2985 Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37)
11/28 S Amdt 3095 Repeals the Prohibition on Biofuel Refinery Construction Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
11/14 S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
10/25 S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
10/25 S 1650 Increases Requirements for Emergency Medical Service Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
10/25 S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
10/18 A 1711 Increases Penalties for Failing to Secure a Child in a Car Seat Bill Passed - House (63 - 16)
10/18 S 2135 Establishes the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Bill Passed - House (43 - 33)
10/17 SB 1294 Requires Blue Cross Blue Shield to Begin Paying State Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)

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