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
March 19, 2009 TN HB 390 Allowing Loaded "Long Guns" in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (82 - 10)
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 18, 2009 IL HB 442 Expanding Red-Light Traffic Camera Enforcement Bill Passed - House (68 - 47)
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 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 12, 2009 UT HB 290 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 29)
March 12, 2009 UT SJR 14 Legislative Regulation of Death Row Appeals Joint Resolution Failed - House (38 - 35)
March 12, 2009 TN HB 254 Eliminating Thumbprint Requirement for Gun Purchases Bill Passed - House (82 - 11)
March 12, 2009 GA HB 23 Age-Specific Ban on Wireless Communication While Driving Bill Passed - House (138 - 34)
March 11, 2009 OK HB 1037 Voter Identification Bill Passed - House (59 - 39)
March 11, 2009 OK HJR 1042 English as Official State Language Joint Resolution Passed - House (66 - 32)
March 11, 2009 AZ HB 2400 Specifying Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalty Bill Passed - House (37 - 19)
March 9, 2009 SD HB 1240 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23)
March 3, 2009 SC H 3418 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (67 - 44)
Feb. 25, 2009 VA SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
Feb. 25, 2009 VA SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
Feb. 25, 2009 AR SB 78 Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
Feb. 25, 2009 AR SB 78 Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
Feb. 25, 2009 NM HB 28 Increasing Penalties for Intimidation of Judges Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA SB 1035 Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments Bill Passed - House (66 - 33)
Feb. 24, 2009 MT HB 531 Red Light Camera Prohibition Bill Passed - House (65 - 35)
Feb. 24, 2009 IN HB 1215 Increasing Traffic Fines to Fund Trauma Centers Bill Passed - House (53 - 42)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/19 HB 390 Allowing Loaded "Long Guns" in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (82 - 10)
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)
3/18 HB 442 Expanding Red-Light Traffic Camera Enforcement Bill Passed - House (68 - 47)
3/17 HB 302 Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects Bill Passed - House (92 - 45)
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)
3/12 HB 290 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 29)
3/12 SJR 14 Legislative Regulation of Death Row Appeals Joint Resolution Failed - House (38 - 35)
3/12 HB 254 Eliminating Thumbprint Requirement for Gun Purchases Bill Passed - House (82 - 11)
3/12 HB 23 Age-Specific Ban on Wireless Communication While Driving Bill Passed - House (138 - 34)
3/11 HB 1037 Voter Identification Bill Passed - House (59 - 39)
3/11 HJR 1042 English as Official State Language Joint Resolution Passed - House (66 - 32)
3/11 HB 2400 Specifying Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalty Bill Passed - House (37 - 19)
3/09 HB 1240 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23)
3/03 H 3418 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (67 - 44)
2/25 SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
2/25 SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
2/25 SB 78 Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
2/25 SB 78 Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
2/25 HB 28 Increasing Penalties for Intimidation of Judges Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
2/24 SB 1035 Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments Bill Passed - House (66 - 33)
2/24 HB 531 Red Light Camera Prohibition Bill Passed - House (65 - 35)
2/24 HB 1215 Increasing Traffic Fines to Fund Trauma Centers Bill Passed - House (53 - 42)

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