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
Jan. 27, 2009 AR HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
Jan. 27, 2009 AR HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
Jan. 26, 2009 WY HB 98 Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor Bill Failed - House (20 - 39)
Jan. 26, 2009 MO HCR 5 Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31)
Jan. 22, 2009 MS HB 1090 Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight Bill Passed - House (64 - 53)
Jan. 14, 2009 FL SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
Jan. 14, 2009 National HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - House (289 - 139)
Jan. 14, 2009 IL HR 5 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Resolution Passed - House (117 - 1)
Jan. 13, 2009 ND HB 1036 Workforce Safety and Insurance Premium Rate Regulation Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
Jan. 13, 2009 ND HB 1036 Workforce Safety and Insurance Premium Rate Regulation Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
Jan. 9, 2009 IL HR 1671 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Resolution Passed - House (114 - 1)
Jan. 9, 2009 National HR 11 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (247 - 171)
Jan. 9, 2009 National HR 12 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (256 - 163)
Dec. 19, 2008 MI SB 861 Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas Bill Passed - House (61 - 34)
Dec. 16, 2008 OH HB 649 Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund Bill Passed - House (54 - 42)
Dec. 10, 2008 OH HB 648 Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information Bill Passed - House (69 - 26)
Dec. 10, 2008 OH HB 648 Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information Bill Passed - House (69 - 26)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
Nov. 17, 2008 NJ A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
Nov. 17, 2008 NJ A 3374 Public Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (67 - 10)
Oct. 3, 2008 National HR 6867 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Bill Passed - House (368 - 28)
Sept. 24, 2008 National S 3001 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (392 - 39)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/27 HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
1/27 HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
1/26 HB 98 Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor Bill Failed - House (20 - 39)
1/26 HCR 5 Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31)
1/22 HB 1090 Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight Bill Passed - House (64 - 53)
1/14 SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
1/14 HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - House (289 - 139)
1/14 HR 5 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Resolution Passed - House (117 - 1)
1/13 HB 1036 Workforce Safety and Insurance Premium Rate Regulation Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
1/13 HB 1036 Workforce Safety and Insurance Premium Rate Regulation Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
1/09 HR 1671 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Resolution Passed - House (114 - 1)
1/09 HR 11 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (247 - 171)
1/09 HR 12 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (256 - 163)
12/19 SB 861 Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas Bill Passed - House (61 - 34)
12/16 HB 649 Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund Bill Passed - House (54 - 42)
12/10 HB 648 Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information Bill Passed - House (69 - 26)
12/10 HB 648 Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information Bill Passed - House (69 - 26)
12/04 HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
12/04 HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
12/04 HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
12/04 HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
11/17 A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
11/17 A 3374 Public Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (67 - 10)
10/03 HR 6867 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Bill Passed - House (368 - 28)
9/24 S 3001 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (392 - 39)

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