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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Aug. 31, 2012 CA AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA ACR 161 Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Aug. 22, 2012 CA ACR 161 Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" Resolution Passed - House (53 - 21)
Aug. 20, 2012 CA AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
Aug. 2, 2012 National HR 6233 Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (223 - 197)
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 Amdt 2310 Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73)
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 3240 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35)
June 20, 2012 UT SB 4001 Authorizes Additional Liquor Licenses Bill Passed - House (57 - 10)
June 19, 2012 National S Amdt 2156 Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66)
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 2156 Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66)
June 19, 2012 National S Amdt 2181 Limits Farm Subsidies to Farmers with Incomes Under $250,000 Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 84)
June 13, 2012 National S Amdt 2393 Repeals Sugar Subsidies Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46)
June 13, 2012 National S Amdt 2392 Reduces Funding for Food Stamps Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33)
May 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
May 1, 2012 CT HB 5021 Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6)
April 26, 2012 CT HB 5021 Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays Bill Passed - House (116 - 27)
April 19, 2012 MO HB 1860 Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock Bill Passed - House (108 - 32)
April 11, 2012 AZ HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15)
April 10, 2012 CO SB 68 Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
April 5, 2012 AZ HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
March 13, 2012 KS Goodman Amdt Eliminates Sales Tax on Food Amendment Adopted - House (76 - 44)
March 7, 2012 UT HB 187 Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 13)
March 7, 2012 UT HB 187 Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Feb. 29, 2012 SD HB 1206 Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6)
Feb. 28, 2012 IA HF 589 Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 28)
Feb. 28, 2012 IA HF 589 Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10)
Feb. 27, 2012 SD HB 1206 Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Feb. 27, 2012 UT HB 283 Authorizing State Liquor Stores to Open on Certain Holidays Bill Passed - House (42 - 30)
Feb. 24, 2012 UT HB 198 Prohibits Regulation of Family Food Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
Feb. 15, 2012 FL HB 7087 Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions Bill Passed - House (92 - 22)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/31 AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33)
8/30 ACR 161 Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
8/22 ACR 161 Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" Resolution Passed - House (53 - 21)
8/20 AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
8/02 HR 6233 Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (223 - 197)
6/21 S Amdt 2310 Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73)
6/21 S Amdt 2310 Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73)
6/21 S Amdt 2372 Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43)
6/21 S 3240 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35)
6/20 SB 4001 Authorizes Additional Liquor Licenses Bill Passed - House (57 - 10)
6/19 S Amdt 2156 Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66)
6/19 S Amdt 2172 Rescinds Bonuses to States for Administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 58)
6/19 S Amdt 2156 Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66)
6/19 S Amdt 2181 Limits Farm Subsidies to Farmers with Incomes Under $250,000 Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 84)
6/13 S Amdt 2393 Repeals Sugar Subsidies Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46)
6/13 S Amdt 2392 Reduces Funding for Food Stamps Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33)
5/24 S Amdt 2108 Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
5/01 HB 5021 Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6)
4/26 HB 5021 Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Sundays and Certain Holidays Bill Passed - House (116 - 27)
4/19 HB 1860 Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock Bill Passed - House (108 - 32)
4/11 HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 15)
4/10 SB 68 Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
4/05 HB 2780 Exempts Ranch Dogs from Animal Cruelty Laws Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
3/13 Goodman Amdt Eliminates Sales Tax on Food Amendment Adopted - House (76 - 44)
3/07 HB 187 Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 13)
3/07 HB 187 Prohibits Recording of Agricultural Operations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
2/29 HB 1206 Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 6)
2/28 HF 589 Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 28)
2/28 HF 589 Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10)
2/27 HB 1206 Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
2/27 HB 283 Authorizing State Liquor Stores to Open on Certain Holidays Bill Passed - House (42 - 30)
2/24 HB 198 Prohibits Regulation of Family Food Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
2/15 HB 7087 Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions Bill Passed - House (92 - 22)

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