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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 16, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| April 16, 2009 | MO | HB 258 | Excluding Tipped Employees from Mandatory Minimum Wage Increases | Bill Passed - House (86 - 74) |
| April 16, 2009 | MO | HB 795 | Minimum Wage and Sales Tax Modifications for Businesses | Bill Passed - House (87 - 70) |
| April 16, 2009 | ID | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| April 16, 2009 | CA | SB 242 | Prohibiting Language Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| April 15, 2009 | OR | HB 2794 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 12) |
| April 15, 2009 | TX | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| April 15, 2009 | ID | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (28 - 42) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | SB 1111 | Transient Accommodation Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (37 - 11) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 1744 | Allowing a County Surcharge on the Transient Accommodations Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 952 | Amending Unionization Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 1605 | Allowing Counties to Impose Retail Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - House (107 - 30) |
| April 13, 2009 | TN | SB 1954 | Basic Phone Service Deregulation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| April 13, 2009 | CO | SB 281 | Clarifying Pinnacol Assurance as a Subdivision of the State | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 11, 2009 | WV | SB 246 | Temporary Unemployment Compensation Tax Increase for Employers | Bill Passed - House (71 - 29) |
| April 9, 2009 | AL | SB 373 | Deregulation of Landline Phone Service Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 8) |
| April 6, 2009 | OK | SB 553 | Health Insurance Coverage Amendments | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| April 6, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| April 6, 2009 | MN | SF 10 | Sharing Services For Schools Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 33) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (121 - 47) |
| April 2, 2009 | MI | HB 4454 | Written Foreclosure Notice Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| April 2, 2009 | NC | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (72 - 45) |
| April 2, 2009 | MI | HB 4455 | Mortgage Payment Modifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| April 2, 2009 | MI | HB 4453 | Holds in Foreclosure Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| April 2, 2009 | DE | HB 107 | Manufactured Housing Rental Regulations | Bill Passed - House (22 - 16) |
| April 1, 2009 | NC | Amdt 2 to HB 2 | Exempting 18+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 46) |
| April 1, 2009 | MD | SB 844 | Public Service Commission Regulation of New Electric Generation Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| April 1, 2009 | VT | H 438 | Gas Tax Increase to Fund Transportation Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - House (108 - 35) |
| March 31, 2009 | WV | SB 419 | Calorie Information Posting Requirement for Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| March 31, 2009 | FL | HB 903 | Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (84 - 35) |
| March 27, 2009 | VT | H 436 | Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Fund Amendments | Bill Passed - House (93 - 46) |
| March 26, 2009 | FL | Amdt 677495 | Amendments to Attorney Fee Cap in Workers Compensation Lawsuits | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 69) |
| March 26, 2009 | MI | HB 4317 | Extending Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Liability | Bill Passed - House (56 - 53) |
| March 26, 2009 | ID | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 25, 2009 | KS | SB 160 | Increasing Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (104 - 21) |
| March 24, 2009 | IN | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| March 23, 2009 | CO | HB 1260 | Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| March 20, 2009 | MT | HB 418 | Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| March 20, 2009 | KS | HB 2295 | Dairy Labeling Requirements | Bill Passed - House (75 - 44) |
| March 19, 2009 | ID | H 246 | Gasoline Tax Increase | Bill Failed - House (27 - 43) |
| March 17, 2009 | NM | SB 263 | Requiring State Contractors to Disclose Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | A 3569 | Stop-Work Orders and Workers' Compensation Requirements | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 2577 | Age-Restricted Housing Exemptions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 2577 | Age-Restricted Housing Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (42 - 28) |
| March 12, 2009 | WA | SB 6035 | Retrospective Ratings Program Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| March 12, 2009 | WA | SB 2252 | Shifting Local Tax Revenue | Bill Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| March 12, 2009 | MI | SB 69 | Alternative Business Tax Eligibility Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| March 12, 2009 | TN | SB 83 | "Living" Wage Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| March 11, 2009 | UT | SB 187 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (65 - 5) |
| March 11, 2009 | WV | HB 2719 | Increase in Maximum Alcohol Level for Beer | Bill Passed - House (79 - 17) |
| March 11, 2009 | MI | HB 4454 | Written Foreclosure Notice Requirement | Bill Passed - House (75 - 33) |
| March 11, 2009 | NH | SB 115 | Expanding Subsidized Health Care Program Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 4) |
| March 11, 2009 | WA | SB 5895 | Housing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| March 11, 2009 | MI | HB 4453 | Holds in Foreclosure Proceedings | Bill Passed - House (73 - 34) |
| March 11, 2009 | MI | HB 4455 | Mortgage Payment Modifications | Bill Passed - House (74 - 34) |
| March 10, 2009 | NV | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5) |
| March 10, 2009 | HI | HB 952 | Amending Unionization Requirements | Bill Passed - House (37 - 9) |
| March 9, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| March 9, 2009 | WA | HB 1709 | Payday Lending Regulations | Bill Passed - House (84 - 10) |
| March 6, 2009 | UT | HJR 8 | Mandating Secret Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 5, 2009 | KS | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| March 5, 2009 | ID | S 1119 | Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| March 5, 2009 | National | HR 1106 | Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy | Bill Passed - House (234 - 191) |
| March 4, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 4, 2009 | UT | SB 29 | Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| March 4, 2009 | OK | HB 1332 | Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| March 4, 2009 | UT | HJR 8 | Mandating Secret Ballots | Bill Passed - House (53 - 22) |
| March 4, 2009 | OK | SB 318 | Repeal of the Grocery Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| March 4, 2009 | WA | HB 1329 | Child Care Center Unionization | Bill Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| March 4, 2009 | NH | HB 644 | Gasoline Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (190 - 162) |
| March 3, 2009 | OH | HB 6 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - House (83 - 14) |
| March 3, 2009 | OH | SB 9 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/16 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 4/16 | HB 258 | Excluding Tipped Employees from Mandatory Minimum Wage Increases | Bill Passed - House (86 - 74) |
| 4/16 | HB 795 | Minimum Wage and Sales Tax Modifications for Businesses | Bill Passed - House (87 - 70) |
| 4/16 | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 4/16 | SB 242 | Prohibiting Language Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 4/15 | HB 2794 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 12) |
| 4/15 | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 4/15 | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (28 - 42) |
| 4/14 | SB 1111 | Transient Accommodation Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (37 - 11) |
| 4/14 | HB 1744 | Allowing a County Surcharge on the Transient Accommodations Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| 4/14 | HB 952 | Amending Unionization Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| 4/14 | HB 1605 | Allowing Counties to Impose Retail Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 4/13 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 4/13 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - House (107 - 30) |
| 4/13 | SB 1954 | Basic Phone Service Deregulation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 4/13 | SB 281 | Clarifying Pinnacol Assurance as a Subdivision of the State | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/11 | SB 246 | Temporary Unemployment Compensation Tax Increase for Employers | Bill Passed - House (71 - 29) |
| 4/09 | SB 373 | Deregulation of Landline Phone Service Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 8) |
| 4/06 | SB 553 | Health Insurance Coverage Amendments | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| 4/06 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| 4/06 | SF 10 | Sharing Services For Schools Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 33) |
| 4/03 | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| 4/03 | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (121 - 47) |
| 4/02 | HB 4454 | Written Foreclosure Notice Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 4/02 | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (72 - 45) |
| 4/02 | HB 4455 | Mortgage Payment Modifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 4/02 | HB 4453 | Holds in Foreclosure Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 4/02 | HB 107 | Manufactured Housing Rental Regulations | Bill Passed - House (22 - 16) |
| 4/01 | Amdt 2 to HB 2 | Exempting 18+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 46) |
| 4/01 | SB 844 | Public Service Commission Regulation of New Electric Generation Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 4/01 | H 438 | Gas Tax Increase to Fund Transportation Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - House (108 - 35) |
| 3/31 | SB 419 | Calorie Information Posting Requirement for Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 3/31 | HB 903 | Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (84 - 35) |
| 3/27 | H 436 | Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Fund Amendments | Bill Passed - House (93 - 46) |
| 3/26 | Amdt 677495 | Amendments to Attorney Fee Cap in Workers Compensation Lawsuits | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 69) |
| 3/26 | HB 4317 | Extending Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Liability | Bill Passed - House (56 - 53) |
| 3/26 | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/25 | SB 160 | Increasing Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (104 - 21) |
| 3/24 | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 3/23 | HB 1260 | Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 3/20 | HB 418 | Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 3/20 | HB 2295 | Dairy Labeling Requirements | Bill Passed - House (75 - 44) |
| 3/19 | H 246 | Gasoline Tax Increase | Bill Failed - House (27 - 43) |
| 3/17 | SB 263 | Requiring State Contractors to Disclose Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 3/16 | A 3569 | Stop-Work Orders and Workers' Compensation Requirements | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 3/16 | S 2577 | Age-Restricted Housing Exemptions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 3/16 | S 2577 | Age-Restricted Housing Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (42 - 28) |
| 3/12 | SB 6035 | Retrospective Ratings Program Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| 3/12 | SB 2252 | Shifting Local Tax Revenue | Bill Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| 3/12 | SB 69 | Alternative Business Tax Eligibility Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 3/12 | SB 83 | "Living" Wage Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 3/11 | SB 187 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (65 - 5) |
| 3/11 | HB 2719 | Increase in Maximum Alcohol Level for Beer | Bill Passed - House (79 - 17) |
| 3/11 | HB 4454 | Written Foreclosure Notice Requirement | Bill Passed - House (75 - 33) |
| 3/11 | SB 115 | Expanding Subsidized Health Care Program Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 4) |
| 3/11 | SB 5895 | Housing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
| 3/11 | HB 4453 | Holds in Foreclosure Proceedings | Bill Passed - House (73 - 34) |
| 3/11 | HB 4455 | Mortgage Payment Modifications | Bill Passed - House (74 - 34) |
| 3/10 | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5) |
| 3/10 | HB 952 | Amending Unionization Requirements | Bill Passed - House (37 - 9) |
| 3/09 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| 3/09 | HB 1709 | Payday Lending Regulations | Bill Passed - House (84 - 10) |
| 3/06 | HJR 8 | Mandating Secret Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 3/05 | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 3/05 | S 1119 | Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 3/05 | HR 1106 | Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy | Bill Passed - House (234 - 191) |
| 3/04 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/04 | SB 29 | Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| 3/04 | HB 1332 | Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 3/04 | HJR 8 | Mandating Secret Ballots | Bill Passed - House (53 - 22) |
| 3/04 | SB 318 | Repeal of the Grocery Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| 3/04 | HB 1329 | Child Care Center Unionization | Bill Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| 3/04 | HB 644 | Gasoline Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (190 - 162) |
| 3/03 | HB 6 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - House (83 - 14) |
| 3/03 | SB 9 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |