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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 1, 2011 | ID | H 26 | Increment in fees for felonies and misdemeanors | Bill Failed - House (31 - 35) |
| Jan. 31, 2011 | IN | HB 1450 | Unemployment Insurance Amendments | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| Jan. 27, 2011 | MN | HF 130 | 2010-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (68 - 63) |
| Jan. 25, 2011 | WI | AB 5 | Requiring a Two-Thirds Vote in the Legislature for Tax Increases | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| Jan. 25, 2011 | WI | AB 7 | Small Business Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (60 - 33) |
| Jan. 25, 2011 | National | H Res 38 | Reducing Spending to Fiscal Year 2008 Levels | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 165) |
| Jan. 24, 2011 | WA | HB 1086 | 2011-2012 Supplemental Budget | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| Jan. 20, 2011 | WI | SB 2 | Tax Benefits for Health Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - House (66 - 28) |
| Jan. 13, 2011 | MT | HB 1 | Funding for Legislative Session | Bill Passed - House (67 - 32) |
| Jan. 11, 2011 | IL | SB 2505 | Amends Property Tax Code | Bill Passed - House (60 - 57) |
| Jan. 7, 2011 | ND | HB 1189 | Corporate Income Tax Reductions | |
| Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
| Dec. 17, 2010 | National | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (277 - 148) |
| Dec. 16, 2010 | National | H Amdt 786 | Amending the Estate Tax | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233) |
| Dec. 2, 2010 | National | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (234 - 188) |
| Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 101 | Education Law Amendments | Veto Override Passed - House (171 - 24) |
| Oct. 7, 2010 | CA | SB 870 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (57 - 13) |
| Sept. 30, 2010 | NJ | A 1678 | Establishing a New Jersey Homebuyer Tax Credit Program | Veto Override Failed - House (42 - 32) |
| Sept. 30, 2010 | National | HR 3081 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 194) |
| Sept. 29, 2010 | PA | SB 1155 | Establishing a Natural Gas Severance Tax | Bill Passed - House (104 - 94) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | MI | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 45) |
| Sept. 22, 2010 | MI | SB 884 | Tax Amnesty Period | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 48) |
| Sept. 21, 2010 | MI | SB 1152 | 2010-2011 Department of Community Health Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 39) |
| Sept. 15, 2010 | MI | SB 1151 | Community College Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 49) |
| Aug. 25, 2010 | CA | AB 2666 | Establishing Public Database of Companies and Their Tax Credits in the State | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 26) |
| Aug. 25, 2010 | CA | SB 1391 | Business Tax Incentive Amendments | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| Aug. 25, 2010 | MI | HB 6086 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 47) |
| Aug. 23, 2010 | CA | SB 1272 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| July 30, 2010 | National | HR 5982 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (241 - 154) |
| July 27, 2010 | National | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (308 - 114) |
| July 22, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152) |
| July 14, 2010 | MO | HB 2 | Manufacturing Jobs Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (101 - 40) |
| July 12, 2010 | NJ | S 29 | Reducing the property tax levy cap | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 4) |
| July 10, 2010 | NC | HB 1973 | Keep North Carolina Competitive Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 31) |
| July 3, 2010 | PA | SB 1042 | 2010-2011 Budget Implementation and Fiscal Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
| July 1, 2010 | National | HR 4899 | Limiting Afghanistan Military Funding to Withdrawal and Other Specified Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (239 - 182) |
| July 1, 2010 | NY | A 9710D | 2010-2011 Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (88 - 57) |
| June 30, 2010 | NC | SB 897 | 2010-2011Operations and Capital Improvement Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 50) |
| June 30, 2010 | PA | HB 2279 | 2010-2011 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (117 - 84) |
| June 29, 2010 | NJ | S 29 | Reducing the property tax levy cap | Bill Passed - House (44 - 33) |
| June 29, 2010 | NJ | S 2139 | 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (42 - 22) |
| June 29, 2010 | MO | HB 2 | Manufacturing Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (125 - 19) |
| June 28, 2010 | NJ | S 3000 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| June 28, 2010 | NJ | A 3009 | Professional Sports Team Specialty License Plates | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| June 28, 2010 | NY | A 9703 | 2010-2011 Education, Labor, and Family Assistance Budget | Bill Passed - House (111 - 34) |
| June 23, 2010 | PA | HB 704 | Special Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (173 - 25) |
| June 21, 2010 | NC | HB 1973 | Keep North Carolina Competitive Act | Bill Passed - House (80 - 28) |
| June 20, 2010 | LA | HB 1171 | Standards for Colleges and Universities | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 23) |
| June 18, 2010 | LA | SB 584 | Louisiana Statewide Education Facilities Authority | Bill Passed - House (75 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/01 | H 26 | Increment in fees for felonies and misdemeanors | Bill Failed - House (31 - 35) |
| 1/31 | HB 1450 | Unemployment Insurance Amendments | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| 1/27 | HF 130 | 2010-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (68 - 63) |
| 1/25 | AB 5 | Requiring a Two-Thirds Vote in the Legislature for Tax Increases | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| 1/25 | AB 7 | Small Business Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (60 - 33) |
| 1/25 | H Res 38 | Reducing Spending to Fiscal Year 2008 Levels | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 165) |
| 1/24 | HB 1086 | 2011-2012 Supplemental Budget | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 1/20 | SB 2 | Tax Benefits for Health Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - House (66 - 28) |
| 1/13 | HB 1 | Funding for Legislative Session | Bill Passed - House (67 - 32) |
| 1/11 | SB 2505 | Amends Property Tax Code | Bill Passed - House (60 - 57) |
| 1/07 | HB 1189 | Corporate Income Tax Reductions | |
| 12/21 | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
| 12/17 | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (277 - 148) |
| 12/16 | H Amdt 786 | Amending the Estate Tax | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233) |
| 12/02 | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (234 - 188) |
| 11/15 | HB 101 | Education Law Amendments | Veto Override Passed - House (171 - 24) |
| 10/07 | SB 870 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (57 - 13) |
| 9/30 | A 1678 | Establishing a New Jersey Homebuyer Tax Credit Program | Veto Override Failed - House (42 - 32) |
| 9/30 | HR 3081 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 194) |
| 9/29 | SB 1155 | Establishing a Natural Gas Severance Tax | Bill Passed - House (104 - 94) |
| 9/23 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187) |
| 9/23 | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 45) |
| 9/22 | SB 884 | Tax Amnesty Period | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 48) |
| 9/21 | SB 1152 | 2010-2011 Department of Community Health Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 39) |
| 9/15 | SB 1151 | Community College Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 49) |
| 8/25 | AB 2666 | Establishing Public Database of Companies and Their Tax Credits in the State | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 26) |
| 8/25 | SB 1391 | Business Tax Incentive Amendments | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| 8/25 | HB 6086 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 47) |
| 8/23 | SB 1272 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| 7/30 | HR 5982 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (241 - 154) |
| 7/27 | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (308 - 114) |
| 7/22 | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152) |
| 7/14 | HB 2 | Manufacturing Jobs Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (101 - 40) |
| 7/12 | S 29 | Reducing the property tax levy cap | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 4) |
| 7/10 | HB 1973 | Keep North Carolina Competitive Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 31) |
| 7/03 | SB 1042 | 2010-2011 Budget Implementation and Fiscal Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
| 7/01 | HR 4899 | Limiting Afghanistan Military Funding to Withdrawal and Other Specified Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (239 - 182) |
| 7/01 | A 9710D | 2010-2011 Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (88 - 57) |
| 6/30 | SB 897 | 2010-2011Operations and Capital Improvement Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 50) |
| 6/30 | HB 2279 | 2010-2011 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (117 - 84) |
| 6/29 | S 29 | Reducing the property tax levy cap | Bill Passed - House (44 - 33) |
| 6/29 | S 2139 | 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (42 - 22) |
| 6/29 | HB 2 | Manufacturing Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (125 - 19) |
| 6/28 | S 3000 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 6/28 | A 3009 | Professional Sports Team Specialty License Plates | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 6/28 | A 9703 | 2010-2011 Education, Labor, and Family Assistance Budget | Bill Passed - House (111 - 34) |
| 6/23 | HB 704 | Special Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (173 - 25) |
| 6/21 | HB 1973 | Keep North Carolina Competitive Act | Bill Passed - House (80 - 28) |
| 6/20 | HB 1171 | Standards for Colleges and Universities | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 23) |
| 6/18 | SB 584 | Louisiana Statewide Education Facilities Authority | Bill Passed - House (75 - 23) |