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. 12, 2009 | AR | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| Feb. 11, 2009 | GA | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | WI | SB 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | SD | SJR 1 | Authorization of Legal Gaming due to Gaming in Bordering States | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | WY | SF 18 | Expanding Workers Compensation Coverage to Include Mental Injury | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | ND | SB 2330 | Prohibiting the Use of Credit Information By Insurers | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 29) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | MI | SB 93 | Prohibiting Mandatory Workplace Ergonomics Rules | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | National | S Amdt 279 | Removing the Buy American Clause | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | National | S Amdt 279 | Removing the Buy American Clause | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | MT | SB 253 | Allowing Employers to Count Tips as Credit Against Minimum Wage | Motion Rejected - Senate (21 - 29) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | SD | SB 83 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | MS | HB 364 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | MT | SB 131 | Wildland-Urban Interface | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | National | S J Res 5 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52) |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | CT | HB 5095 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Dec. 18, 2008 | CA | ABx1 2 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Nov. 24, 2008 | NJ | A 3294 | Capital Investment and Employment Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| Sept. 19, 2008 | CA | SBx1 28 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| Sept. 18, 2008 | MI | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Sept. 18, 2008 | MI | SB 213 | Renewable Electricity Standards | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 10) |
| Sept. 16, 2008 | CA | AB 1781 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11) |
| Sept. 16, 2008 | CA | AB 1452 | Suspending Carryback and Net Operating Loss Deductions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | SB 1420 | Nutritional Information Disclosure in Chain Restaurants | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/12 | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 2/11 | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| 2/10 | SB 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 2/09 | SJR 1 | Authorization of Legal Gaming due to Gaming in Bordering States | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/06 | SF 18 | Expanding Workers Compensation Coverage to Include Mental Injury | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 2/06 | SB 2330 | Prohibiting the Use of Credit Information By Insurers | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 29) |
| 2/05 | SB 93 | Prohibiting Mandatory Workplace Ergonomics Rules | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 2/04 | S Amdt 279 | Removing the Buy American Clause | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65) |
| 2/04 | S Amdt 279 | Removing the Buy American Clause | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65) |
| 2/03 | SB 253 | Allowing Employers to Count Tips as Credit Against Minimum Wage | Motion Rejected - Senate (21 - 29) |
| 2/03 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 2/03 | SB 83 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 1/29 | HB 364 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 1/26 | SB 131 | Wildland-Urban Interface | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 1/15 | S J Res 5 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52) |
| 1/15 | HB 5095 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 12/18 | ABx1 2 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 11/24 | A 3294 | Capital Investment and Employment Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| 10/01 | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| 9/19 | SBx1 28 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 9/18 | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 9/18 | SB 213 | Renewable Electricity Standards | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 10) |
| 9/16 | AB 1781 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11) |
| 9/16 | AB 1452 | Suspending Carryback and Net Operating Loss Deductions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 8/31 | SB 1420 | Nutritional Information Disclosure in Chain Restaurants | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |