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 | ND | HB 1453 | Wheelchair Accessibility in Businesses | Bill Failed - House (19 - 72) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | HI | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (33 - 17) |
| Feb. 11, 2009 | MS | HB 1533 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 44) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | ND | HB 1576 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (47 - 46) |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | WY | HJ 17 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Joint Resolution Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | UT | SB 16 | Prohibiting "Gang Loitering" | Bill Passed - House (56 - 17) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | HB 2314 | Allowing Police Chaplains to Conduct Sectarian Prayer | Bill Passed - House (66 - 30) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | WY | HB 31 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | Amdt 2001 to HB 31 | Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | Amdt 2002 to HB 31 | Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | ND | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | AR | HB 1013 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (78 - 12) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | AR | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | AR | HB 1050 | Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications | Bill Passed - House (57 - 31) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | CO | HB 1042 | Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| Jan. 20, 2009 | MT | HB 62 | Mandatory Trapper Education Course | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Dec. 10, 2008 | OH | HB 648 | Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information | Bill Passed - House (69 - 26) |
| Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 5117 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 4090 | Expanding Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 50) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| Aug. 13, 2008 | CA | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (52 - 24) |
| June 26, 2008 | WV | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| June 25, 2008 | PA | A 7738 | Real ID Biometric Data | Bill Failed - House (92 - 108) |
| June 21, 2008 | LA | HB 906 | Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21) |
| June 20, 2008 | LA | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
| June 20, 2008 | National | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - House (293 - 129) |
| June 20, 2008 | RI | S 2706 | Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - House (44 - 12) |
| June 19, 2008 | LA | SB 137 | Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (70 - 19) |
| June 12, 2008 | RI | H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) | |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38) |
| May 28, 2008 | MI | HB 5074 | Ban Smoking in Places of Employment and Public Places with Exceptions for Casinos, Cigar Bars, and Specialty Tobacco Stores | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
| May 27, 2008 | CA | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 30) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 30) |
| May 12, 2008 | OK | HB 2633 | Religious Expression at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| May 12, 2008 | AZ | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Resolution Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | SB 226 | Zebra Mussels Ban | Bill Passed - House (54 - 11) |
| May 5, 2008 | CA | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - House (44 - 20) |
| April 25, 2008 | IA | H 8672 | DUI Appeals | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 50) |
| April 21, 2008 | LA | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| April 14, 2008 | MN | HF 1351 | Transportation Policy Reform | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 44) |
| April 8, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45) |
| April 7, 2008 | MN | Emmer Amnd. | Voter Identification Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 70) |
| April 2, 2008 | GA | SB 174 | Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees | Bill Failed - House (55 - 107) |
| April 2, 2008 | KY | SB 120 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - House (88 - 8) |
| April 2, 2008 | OK | SB 1878 | Abortion Regulations | Bill Passed - House (80 - 12) |
| April 1, 2008 | KY | HB 70 | Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/12 | HB 1453 | Wheelchair Accessibility in Businesses | Bill Failed - House (19 - 72) |
| 2/12 | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (33 - 17) |
| 2/11 | HB 1533 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 44) |
| 2/09 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 2/09 | HB 1576 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (47 - 46) |
| 2/06 | HJ 17 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Joint Resolution Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| 2/05 | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| 2/05 | SB 16 | Prohibiting "Gang Loitering" | Bill Passed - House (56 - 17) |
| 2/04 | HB 2314 | Allowing Police Chaplains to Conduct Sectarian Prayer | Bill Passed - House (66 - 30) |
| 2/03 | HB 31 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| 1/30 | Amdt 2001 to HB 31 | Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25) |
| 1/30 | Amdt 2002 to HB 31 | Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18) |
| 1/29 | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| 1/29 | HB 1013 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (78 - 12) |
| 1/28 | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| 1/27 | HB 1050 | Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications | Bill Passed - House (57 - 31) |
| 1/26 | HB 1042 | Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| 1/20 | HB 62 | Mandatory Trapper Education Course | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 12/10 | HB 648 | Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information | Bill Passed - House (69 - 26) |
| 12/04 | HB 5117 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| 12/04 | HB 4090 | Expanding Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 50) |
| 10/21 | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| 8/13 | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (52 - 24) |
| 6/26 | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| 6/25 | A 7738 | Real ID Biometric Data | Bill Failed - House (92 - 108) |
| 6/21 | HB 906 | Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21) |
| 6/20 | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
| 6/20 | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - House (293 - 129) |
| 6/20 | S 2706 | Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - House (44 - 12) |
| 6/19 | SB 137 | Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (70 - 19) |
| 6/12 | H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) | |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38) |
| 5/28 | HB 5074 | Ban Smoking in Places of Employment and Public Places with Exceptions for Casinos, Cigar Bars, and Specialty Tobacco Stores | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| 5/28 | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
| 5/27 | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 30) |
| 5/13 | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 30) |
| 5/12 | HB 2633 | Religious Expression at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 5/12 | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Resolution Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| 5/06 | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
| 5/05 | SB 226 | Zebra Mussels Ban | Bill Passed - House (54 - 11) |
| 5/05 | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - House (44 - 20) |
| 4/25 | H 8672 | DUI Appeals | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 50) |
| 4/21 | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 4/14 | HF 1351 | Transportation Policy Reform | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 44) |
| 4/08 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45) |
| 4/07 | Emmer Amnd. | Voter Identification Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 70) |
| 4/02 | SB 174 | Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees | Bill Failed - House (55 - 107) |
| 4/02 | SB 120 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - House (88 - 8) |
| 4/02 | SB 1878 | Abortion Regulations | Bill Passed - House (80 - 12) |
| 4/01 | HB 70 | Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |