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. 26, 2009 | PA | HB 1828 | Municipal Pension System Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| Aug. 14, 2009 | AL | HB 13 | Authorizes an Occupational Tax for Jefferson County | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| Aug. 12, 2009 | AL | HB 13 | Authorizes an Occupational Tax for Jefferson County | Bill Passed - House (17 - 15) |
| Aug. 12, 2009 | AZ | HB 2013 | Budget Reconciliation (Health and Welfare) | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
| Aug. 6, 2009 | National | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| Aug. 6, 2009 | National | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| Aug. 5, 2009 | PA | HB 1828 | Municipal Pension System Amendments | Bill Passed - House (112 - 85) |
| July 31, 2009 | AZ | HB 2013 | Budget Reconciliation (Health and Welfare) | Bill Passed - House (35 - 11) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| July 23, 2009 | NC | HB 524 | Changing Local Annexation Laws | Bill Passed - House (83 - 31) |
| July 20, 2009 | CT | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| July 20, 2009 | CT | HB 6502 | Concerning Standard Wage for Certain Workers | Veto Override Passed - House (106 - 35) |
| July 20, 2009 | CT | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Veto Override Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| July 8, 2009 | National | S Amdt 1399 | Requiring Completion of Reinforced Border Fencing | Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
| July 6, 2009 | NC | SB 870 | Making General Statutes Gender Neutral | Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33) |
| July 6, 2009 | NC | SB 870 | Making General Statutes Gender Neutral | Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33) |
| July 6, 2009 | NC | SB 870 | Making General Statutes Gender Neutral | Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33) |
| July 1, 2009 | DE | HB 290 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| June 30, 2009 | DE | HB 290 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - House (27 - 14) |
| June 29, 2009 | PA | HB 1 | Expanding Health Insurance | Bill Passed - House (104 - 96) |
| June 29, 2009 | PA | HB 746 | Children's Health Care Insurance | Bill Passed - House (106 - 94) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | S 1175 | Requiring an After School Activity Plan for School Districts with At-Risk Pupils | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 18) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 3101 | Creating Homelessness Trust Funds | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 3372 | Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| June 24, 2009 | LA | SB 278 | Governor Records Disclosed | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| June 24, 2009 | NC | HB 442 | Regulating the Use of Corporal Punishment in Schools | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| June 24, 2009 | MI | HB 4436 | 2009-2010 Department of Community Health Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| June 24, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| June 24, 2009 | MI | HB 4476 | Health Insurance for Autism | Bill Passed - House (83 - 25) |
| June 24, 2009 | MI | HB 4183 | Health Insurance for Autism | Bill Passed - House (84 - 25) |
| June 24, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| June 23, 2009 | MI | HB 4441 | 2009-2010 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17) |
| June 23, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 57) |
| June 23, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 57) |
| June 23, 2009 | OR | HB 3300 | Promoting Green Jobs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| June 22, 2009 | LA | Amendment # B-480 | Making Records of the Governor Public | Amendment Rejected - House (47 - 50) |
| June 22, 2009 | LA | Amendment # B-483 | Shortening the Period Before Budget Records are Public | Amendment Rejected - House (48 - 54) |
| June 22, 2009 | LA | SB 278 | Governor Records Disclosed | Bill Passed - House (62 - 41) |
| June 22, 2009 | AZ | HCR 2019 | Ends Affirmative Action | Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 11) |
| June 22, 2009 | AZ | SB 1440 | Smoking in Cars with Minors | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 20) |
| June 22, 2009 | CA | AB 761 | Mobile Home Rent Control | Bill Failed - House (38 - 27) |
| June 21, 2009 | LA | HB 866 | Publishing Legal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| June 19, 2009 | OR | SB 519 | Mandatory Workplace Meetings | Bill Passed - House (34 - 24) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/26 | HB 1828 | Municipal Pension System Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| 8/14 | HB 13 | Authorizes an Occupational Tax for Jefferson County | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| 8/12 | HB 13 | Authorizes an Occupational Tax for Jefferson County | Bill Passed - House (17 - 15) |
| 8/12 | HB 2013 | Budget Reconciliation (Health and Welfare) | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
| 8/06 | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 8/06 | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 8/05 | HB 1828 | Municipal Pension System Amendments | Bill Passed - House (112 - 85) |
| 7/31 | HB 2013 | Budget Reconciliation (Health and Welfare) | Bill Passed - House (35 - 11) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 7/23 | HB 524 | Changing Local Annexation Laws | Bill Passed - House (83 - 31) |
| 7/20 | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 7/20 | HB 6502 | Concerning Standard Wage for Certain Workers | Veto Override Passed - House (106 - 35) |
| 7/20 | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Veto Override Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| 7/08 | S Amdt 1399 | Requiring Completion of Reinforced Border Fencing | Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
| 7/06 | SB 870 | Making General Statutes Gender Neutral | Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33) |
| 7/06 | SB 870 | Making General Statutes Gender Neutral | Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33) |
| 7/06 | SB 870 | Making General Statutes Gender Neutral | Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33) |
| 7/01 | HB 290 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| 6/30 | HB 290 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - House (27 - 14) |
| 6/29 | HB 1 | Expanding Health Insurance | Bill Passed - House (104 - 96) |
| 6/29 | HB 746 | Children's Health Care Insurance | Bill Passed - House (106 - 94) |
| 6/25 | S 1175 | Requiring an After School Activity Plan for School Districts with At-Risk Pupils | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 18) |
| 6/25 | A 3101 | Creating Homelessness Trust Funds | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| 6/25 | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| 6/25 | A 3372 | Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 6/25 | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| 6/25 | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 6/25 | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 6/24 | SB 278 | Governor Records Disclosed | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| 6/24 | HB 442 | Regulating the Use of Corporal Punishment in Schools | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| 6/24 | HB 4436 | 2009-2010 Department of Community Health Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 6/24 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| 6/24 | HB 4476 | Health Insurance for Autism | Bill Passed - House (83 - 25) |
| 6/24 | HB 4183 | Health Insurance for Autism | Bill Passed - House (84 - 25) |
| 6/24 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 6/23 | HB 4441 | 2009-2010 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17) |
| 6/23 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 57) |
| 6/23 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 57) |
| 6/23 | HB 3300 | Promoting Green Jobs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 6/22 | Amendment # B-480 | Making Records of the Governor Public | Amendment Rejected - House (47 - 50) |
| 6/22 | Amendment # B-483 | Shortening the Period Before Budget Records are Public | Amendment Rejected - House (48 - 54) |
| 6/22 | SB 278 | Governor Records Disclosed | Bill Passed - House (62 - 41) |
| 6/22 | HCR 2019 | Ends Affirmative Action | Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 6/22 | SB 1440 | Smoking in Cars with Minors | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 20) |
| 6/22 | AB 761 | Mobile Home Rent Control | Bill Failed - House (38 - 27) |
| 6/21 | HB 866 | Publishing Legal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 6/19 | SB 519 | Mandatory Workplace Meetings | Bill Passed - House (34 - 24) |