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
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)

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