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 29, 2010 IA SF 2389 Iowa Jobs II Program and Budget Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 17)
March 26, 2010 ME LD 1552 Repealing Maine Tree Growth Program Eligibility for Use of "Bonded Laborers" Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
March 25, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43)
March 24, 2010 FL SB 6 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
March 23, 2010 KY HB 239 School Principal Selection Process Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
March 18, 2010 IA HF 2518 Retirement Contribution Rate Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
March 17, 2010 National HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
March 11, 2010 MN HF 2700 Omnibus Bonding and Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (49 - 17)
March 10, 2010 SC H 3305 Requiring Secret Ballot Elections Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 9)
March 9, 2010 OK SB 1973 Worker's Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18)
March 2, 2010 WY HB 93 Increasing Penalties for Workplace Safety Violations Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15)
March 1, 2010 UT SB 43 Retirement System Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
March 1, 2010 UT SB 63 Retirement System Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
Feb. 25, 2010 MN SF 2168 General Assistance Medical Care Program Modifications Veto Override Passed - Senate (45 - 21)
Feb. 24, 2010 National HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28)
Feb. 22, 2010 National HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 30)
Feb. 16, 2010 NM HB 231 Authorizing Education Retirement Board Pension Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Feb. 12, 2010 NM SB 112 Authorizing Severance Tax Bonds and Allocating Proceeds Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17)
Feb. 9, 2010 National PN 1351 Craig Becker, Member of the National Labor Relations Board Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 33)
Feb. 9, 2010 National PN 1351 Craig Becker, Member of the National Labor Relations Board Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 33)
Feb. 9, 2010 WA SB 6382 Extending State Employee Salary Freeze Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
Feb. 9, 2010 MN SF 2360 Construction Projects Authorizations and Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 14)
Feb. 8, 2010 VA SB 66 Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
Feb. 8, 2010 VA SB 239 Unemployment Benefit Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
Feb. 4, 2010 IA SF 2062 State Worker Retirement Incentive Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 6)
Feb. 1, 2010 CO SB 1 Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Jan. 27, 2010 SD SB 18 Restrictions on Retirement for Rehired Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
Jan. 13, 2010 IL SB 315 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
Jan. 12, 2010 IN SB 23 Unemployment Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
Dec. 17, 2009 OH HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Dec. 3, 2009 MI SB 638 "Consistent Ineffectiveness" as Grounds for Discharging or Demoting Tenured Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
Nov. 18, 2009 MA S 2210 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Oct. 9, 2009 PA HB 1614 Fiscal Code Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
Sept. 4, 2009 CA AB 793 Clarifying Statute of Limitations for Wage Discrimination Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Aug. 26, 2009 PA HB 1828 Municipal Pension System Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
Aug. 14, 2009 AL HB 13 Authorizes an Occupational Tax for Jefferson County Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
July 1, 2009 DE HB 290 2009-2010 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4)
June 25, 2009 NJ A 4111 State Employee Wage Increases Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
June 25, 2009 NJ A 3372 Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
June 23, 2009 OR HB 3300 Promoting Green Jobs Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
June 18, 2009 MA S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
June 8, 2009 OR SB 519 Mandatory Workplace Meetings Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
May 31, 2009 NV AB 395 Allowing State Employee Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
May 27, 2009 RI S 659 Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
May 26, 2009 CA SB 219 Extending Whistle-Blower Protection to UC Employees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 1, 2009 FL HB 903 Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 16)
April 28, 2009 WI SB 20 Discriminatory Pay Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
April 28, 2009 CO HB 1170 Allowing Locked-Out Employees to Collect Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
April 23, 2009 CA SB 789 Amending Unionization Requirements for Agricultural Employees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
April 16, 2009 ID S 1166 Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/29 SF 2389 Iowa Jobs II Program and Budget Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 17)
3/26 LD 1552 Repealing Maine Tree Growth Program Eligibility for Use of "Bonded Laborers" Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
3/25 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43)
3/24 SB 6 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
3/23 HB 239 School Principal Selection Process Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
3/18 HF 2518 Retirement Contribution Rate Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
3/17 HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
3/11 HF 2700 Omnibus Bonding and Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (49 - 17)
3/10 H 3305 Requiring Secret Ballot Elections Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 9)
3/09 SB 1973 Worker's Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18)
3/02 HB 93 Increasing Penalties for Workplace Safety Violations Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15)
3/01 SB 43 Retirement System Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
3/01 SB 63 Retirement System Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
2/25 SF 2168 General Assistance Medical Care Program Modifications Veto Override Passed - Senate (45 - 21)
2/24 HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28)
2/22 HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 30)
2/16 HB 231 Authorizing Education Retirement Board Pension Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
2/12 SB 112 Authorizing Severance Tax Bonds and Allocating Proceeds Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 17)
2/09 PN 1351 Craig Becker, Member of the National Labor Relations Board Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 33)
2/09 PN 1351 Craig Becker, Member of the National Labor Relations Board Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 33)
2/09 SB 6382 Extending State Employee Salary Freeze Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
2/09 SF 2360 Construction Projects Authorizations and Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 14)
2/08 SB 66 Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
2/08 SB 239 Unemployment Benefit Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
2/04 SF 2062 State Worker Retirement Incentive Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 6)
2/01 SB 1 Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
1/27 SB 18 Restrictions on Retirement for Rehired Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
1/13 SB 315 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
1/12 SB 23 Unemployment Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
12/17 HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
12/03 SB 638 "Consistent Ineffectiveness" as Grounds for Discharging or Demoting Tenured Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
11/18 S 2210 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
10/09 HB 1614 Fiscal Code Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
9/04 AB 793 Clarifying Statute of Limitations for Wage Discrimination Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
8/26 HB 1828 Municipal Pension System Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
8/14 HB 13 Authorizes an Occupational Tax for Jefferson County Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
7/01 HB 290 2009-2010 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4)
6/25 A 4111 State Employee Wage Increases Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
6/25 A 3372 Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
6/23 HB 3300 Promoting Green Jobs Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
6/18 S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
6/08 SB 519 Mandatory Workplace Meetings Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
5/31 AB 395 Allowing State Employee Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
5/27 S 659 Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
5/26 SB 219 Extending Whistle-Blower Protection to UC Employees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/01 HB 903 Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 16)
4/28 SB 20 Discriminatory Pay Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
4/28 HB 1170 Allowing Locked-Out Employees to Collect Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
4/23 SB 789 Amending Unionization Requirements for Agricultural Employees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
4/16 S 1166 Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)

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