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
April 6, 2009 ND HB 1171 Home School Deregulation Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
April 2, 2009 MI HB 4455 Mortgage Payment Modifications Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
March 26, 2009 National HR 1388 National Volunteer Program Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 19)
March 19, 2009 IA SF 389 Health Insurance Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
March 16, 2009 ID S 1089 Eliminating Child Safety Seat Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
March 11, 2009 NH SB 115 Expanding Subsidized Health Care Program Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 4)
March 9, 2009 UT SB 225 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
March 4, 2009 UT SB 61 Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Extracurricular Activities Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
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. 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. 28, 2009 WY SF 65 Ban on Texting While Driving Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
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 HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
Aug. 18, 2008 NM SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
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)
May 7, 2008 MN SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 20)
May 6, 2008 CO HB 1388 Increasing Education Funding Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13)
May 6, 2008 LA SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
May 1, 2008 RI H 7204 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/06 HB 1171 Home School Deregulation Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
4/02 HB 4455 Mortgage Payment Modifications Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
3/26 HR 1388 National Volunteer Program Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 19)
3/19 SF 389 Health Insurance Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
3/16 S 1089 Eliminating Child Safety Seat Exemptions Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
3/11 SB 115 Expanding Subsidized Health Care Program Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 4)
3/09 SB 225 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
3/04 SB 61 Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Extracurricular Activities Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
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)
2/02 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)
1/28 SF 65 Ban on Texting While Driving Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
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 HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
8/18 SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
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)
5/07 SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 20)
5/06 HB 1388 Increasing Education Funding Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13)
5/06 SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
5/02 HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
5/01 H 7204 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)

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