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 25, 2009 OR HB 2599 Expanding School Bullying Law Bill Passed - House (50 - 9)
March 24, 2009 NH HB 531 Parental Notification for Underage Abortion "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 160)
March 19, 2009 IA SF 389 Health Insurance Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
March 18, 2009 National HR 1388 National Volunteer Program Expansion Bill Passed - House (321 - 105)
March 16, 2009 ID S 1089 Eliminating Child Safety Seat Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
March 12, 2009 GA HB 23 Age-Specific Ban on Wireless Communication While Driving Bill Passed - House (138 - 34)
March 11, 2009 NH SB 115 Expanding Subsidized Health Care Program Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 4)
March 11, 2009 OR HB 2509 Sexual Education Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
March 11, 2009 MI HB 4455 Mortgage Payment Modifications Bill Passed - House (74 - 34)
March 9, 2009 UT SB 225 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
March 9, 2009 UT HB 171 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 23)
March 9, 2009 AR HB 1700 Expanding Eligibility for Children's Health Insurance Program Bill Passed - House (82 - 14)
March 4, 2009 MI HB 4132 School Attendance Amendments Bill Passed - House (71 - 37)
March 4, 2009 UT SB 61 Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Extracurricular Activities Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
March 4, 2009 WA HB 1329 Child Care Center Unionization Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
Feb. 25, 2009 NM SB 44 Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
Feb. 9, 2009 CO HB 1057 Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
Feb. 6, 2009 ND HB 1508 State-Sponsored Children's Savings Accounts Bill Failed - House (28 - 64)
Feb. 5, 2009 VA HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - House (68 - 28)
Feb. 3, 2009 MT HB 157 Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 40)
Feb. 2, 2009 ND SB 2070 Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
Jan. 29, 2009 National HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32)
Jan. 29, 2009 WY HB 190 Suspending Driver's Licenses for Nonpayment of Child Support Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
Jan. 28, 2009 WY SF 65 Ban on Texting While Driving Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
Jan. 28, 2009 AR HB 1119 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups Bill Passed - House (62 - 27)
Jan. 26, 2009 WY HB 98 Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor Bill Failed - House (20 - 39)
Jan. 14, 2009 National HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - House (289 - 139)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
Nov. 21, 2008 NE LB 1 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5)
Nov. 18, 2008 NE Amdt 4 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26)
Aug. 19, 2008 IL HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
Aug. 19, 2008 NM SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - House (51 - 16)
Aug. 19, 2008 NM HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
Aug. 18, 2008 NM SB 22 Subsidizing Children's Health Care Bill Passed - House (47 - 19)
Aug. 18, 2008 NM SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
Aug. 16, 2008 NM HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - House (39 - 25)
Aug. 13, 2008 IL HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 21)
Aug. 13, 2008 CA AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22)
Aug. 11, 2008 CA AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
July 17, 2008 NC HB 2340 Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
June 23, 2008 NJ S 1557 FamilyCare Expansion bill Bill Passed - House (59 - 18)
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)
May 27, 2008 MI Byrnes Amdt: Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Exception For Rape And Incest Amendment Rejected - House (41 - 66)
May 22, 2008 IL HB 2310 Truancy, Information Sharing, and Fines Bill Passed - House (85 - 25)
May 15, 2008 MN SF 960 Modification of the Definition of Dependents for Local Government Benefits Bill Passed - House (83 - 50)
May 13, 2008 PA SB 1278 Child Support Fee Bill Passed - House (116 - 84)
May 8, 2008 MN SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/25 HB 2599 Expanding School Bullying Law Bill Passed - House (50 - 9)
3/24 HB 531 Parental Notification for Underage Abortion "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 160)
3/19 SF 389 Health Insurance Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
3/18 HR 1388 National Volunteer Program Expansion Bill Passed - House (321 - 105)
3/16 S 1089 Eliminating Child Safety Seat Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
3/12 HB 23 Age-Specific Ban on Wireless Communication While Driving Bill Passed - House (138 - 34)
3/11 SB 115 Expanding Subsidized Health Care Program Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 4)
3/11 HB 2509 Sexual Education Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
3/11 HB 4455 Mortgage Payment Modifications Bill Passed - House (74 - 34)
3/09 SB 225 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
3/09 HB 171 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 23)
3/09 HB 1700 Expanding Eligibility for Children's Health Insurance Program Bill Passed - House (82 - 14)
3/04 HB 4132 School Attendance Amendments Bill Passed - House (71 - 37)
3/04 SB 61 Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Extracurricular Activities Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
3/04 HB 1329 Child Care Center Unionization Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
2/25 SB 44 Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
2/24 HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
2/09 HB 1057 Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
2/06 HB 1508 State-Sponsored Children's Savings Accounts Bill Failed - House (28 - 64)
2/05 HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - House (68 - 28)
2/03 HB 157 Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 40)
2/02 SB 2070 Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
1/29 HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32)
1/29 HB 190 Suspending Driver's Licenses for Nonpayment of Child Support Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
1/28 SF 65 Ban on Texting While Driving Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
1/28 HB 1119 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups Bill Passed - House (62 - 27)
1/26 HB 98 Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor Bill Failed - House (20 - 39)
1/14 HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - House (289 - 139)
12/04 HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
12/04 HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
11/21 LB 1 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5)
11/18 Amdt 4 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26)
8/19 HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
8/19 SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - House (51 - 16)
8/19 HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
8/18 SB 22 Subsidizing Children's Health Care Bill Passed - House (47 - 19)
8/18 SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
8/16 HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - House (39 - 25)
8/13 HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 21)
8/13 AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22)
8/11 AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
7/17 HB 2340 Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
6/23 S 1557 FamilyCare Expansion bill Bill Passed - House (59 - 18)
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)
5/27 Byrnes Amdt: Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Exception For Rape And Incest Amendment Rejected - House (41 - 66)
5/22 HB 2310 Truancy, Information Sharing, and Fines Bill Passed - House (85 - 25)
5/15 SF 960 Modification of the Definition of Dependents for Local Government Benefits Bill Passed - House (83 - 50)
5/13 SB 1278 Child Support Fee Bill Passed - House (116 - 84)
5/08 SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49)

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