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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 19, 2009 | TX | SB 188 | Authorizes Needle Exchange Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| March 19, 2009 | NM | HB 393 | Opening Conference Committees to the Public | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8) |
| March 18, 2009 | IL | HB 442 | Expanding Red-Light Traffic Camera Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (68 - 47) |
| March 18, 2009 | IL | HB 442 | Expanding Red-Light Traffic Camera Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (68 - 47) |
| March 18, 2009 | IA | HF 243 | Gender Requirements for Certain Local Government Positions | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| March 17, 2009 | MD | HB 359 | Handgun Permit Eligibility for Domestic Abuse Victims | Bill Failed - House (51 - 86) |
| March 17, 2009 | MD | HB 359 | Handgun Permit Eligibility for Domestic Abuse Victims | Bill Failed - House (51 - 86) |
| March 17, 2009 | MD | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (92 - 45) |
| March 17, 2009 | MD | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (92 - 45) |
| March 13, 2009 | WV | SB 238 | Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| March 13, 2009 | NM | HB 285 | Abolishing the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 18) |
| March 12, 2009 | UT | HB 290 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| March 12, 2009 | TN | HB 254 | Eliminating Thumbprint Requirement for Gun Purchases | Bill Passed - House (82 - 11) |
| March 12, 2009 | UT | SJR 14 | Legislative Regulation of Death Row Appeals | Joint Resolution Failed - House (38 - 35) |
| March 12, 2009 | GA | HB 23 | Age-Specific Ban on Wireless Communication While Driving | Bill Passed - House (138 - 34) |
| March 11, 2009 | TX | SB 362 | Requiring Proof of Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| March 11, 2009 | OK | HJR 1042 | English as Official State Language | Joint Resolution Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| March 11, 2009 | OK | HB 1037 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| March 11, 2009 | AZ | HB 2400 | Specifying Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalty | Bill Passed - House (37 - 19) |
| March 10, 2009 | OK | SB 4 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21) |
| March 10, 2009 | WA | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| March 9, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| March 6, 2009 | UT | HB 100 | Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| March 5, 2009 | MD | SB 279 | Capital Punishment Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 4, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/19 | SB 188 | Authorizes Needle Exchange Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 3/19 | HB 393 | Opening Conference Committees to the Public | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8) |
| 3/18 | HB 442 | Expanding Red-Light Traffic Camera Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (68 - 47) |
| 3/18 | HB 442 | Expanding Red-Light Traffic Camera Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (68 - 47) |
| 3/18 | HF 243 | Gender Requirements for Certain Local Government Positions | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| 3/17 | HB 359 | Handgun Permit Eligibility for Domestic Abuse Victims | Bill Failed - House (51 - 86) |
| 3/17 | HB 359 | Handgun Permit Eligibility for Domestic Abuse Victims | Bill Failed - House (51 - 86) |
| 3/17 | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (92 - 45) |
| 3/17 | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (92 - 45) |
| 3/13 | SB 238 | Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 3/13 | HB 285 | Abolishing the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 18) |
| 3/12 | HB 290 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| 3/12 | HB 254 | Eliminating Thumbprint Requirement for Gun Purchases | Bill Passed - House (82 - 11) |
| 3/12 | SJR 14 | Legislative Regulation of Death Row Appeals | Joint Resolution Failed - House (38 - 35) |
| 3/12 | HB 23 | Age-Specific Ban on Wireless Communication While Driving | Bill Passed - House (138 - 34) |
| 3/11 | SB 362 | Requiring Proof of Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 3/11 | HJR 1042 | English as Official State Language | Joint Resolution Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| 3/11 | HB 1037 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 3/11 | HB 2400 | Specifying Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalty | Bill Passed - House (37 - 19) |
| 3/10 | SB 4 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21) |
| 3/10 | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 3/09 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| 3/06 | HB 100 | Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 3/05 | SB 279 | Capital Punishment Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 3/04 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |