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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 20, 2010 | WI | Amdt 6 | Censuring Representative Jeffery Wood | Amendment Adopted - House (73 - 24) |
| April 20, 2010 | MO | SB 943 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| April 19, 2010 | AZ | Burges Amdt | Verification of Presidential Candidate's Birth Certificate | Motion Rejected - House (22 - 31) |
| April 18, 2010 | AK | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| April 18, 2010 | AK | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| April 17, 2010 | AK | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Bill Passed - House (31 - 8) |
| April 17, 2010 | AK | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Bill Passed - House (31 - 8) |
| April 16, 2010 | CO | HB 1376 | 2010-2011 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (38 - 25) |
| April 16, 2010 | CO | HB 1376 | 2010-2011 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
| April 15, 2010 | CO | SB 94 | State Funding for Works of Art in Capital Construction Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| April 15, 2010 | MO | SB 1014 | Limiting Prison Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| April 14, 2010 | HI | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 7) |
| April 14, 2010 | HI | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 11) |
| April 14, 2010 | GA | HB 1055 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (107 - 63) |
| April 14, 2010 | SC | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| April 14, 2010 | MI | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| April 14, 2010 | LA | HB 292 | Open Primaries for Congressional Elections | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| April 14, 2010 | LA | HB 292 | Open Primaries for Congressional Elections | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| April 14, 2010 | IL | SJR 121 | Redistricting Process Modifications | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (36 - 22) |
| April 14, 2010 | LA | Amdt 2565 | Limiting the Number of Terms School Board Members May Serve | Amendment Rejected - House (30 - 65) |
| April 14, 2010 | IL | SJR 121 | Redistricting Process Modifications | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (36 - 22) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | SB 6444 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 21) |
| April 12, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 44) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | SB 6143 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 21) |
| April 12, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | SB 6444 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | HB 2836 | 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Capital Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 36) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| April 12, 2010 | CO | SB 94 | State Funding for Works of Art in Capital Construction Projects | Bill Passed - House (42 - 21) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | HB 2836 | 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Capital Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 10, 2010 | WA | SB 6143 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 44) |
| April 9, 2010 | MD | SB 279 | Prohibits False Claims Against State Health Plans and Programs | Bill Passed - House (105 - 33) |
| April 8, 2010 | NE | LB 842 | Repealing Special Prosecutor Requirement for In-Custody Deaths | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 4) |
| April 7, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| April 7, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Passed - House (100 - 48) |
| April 7, 2010 | AK | HB 348 | Alaska Personnel Board Amendments | Bill Passed - House (29 - 10) |
| April 6, 2010 | ME | LD 1830 | Suspending Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 6, 2010 | ME | LD 1830 | Suspending Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (91 - 53) |
| April 5, 2010 | CO | SB 133 | Income Tax Credit Incentive for Colorado Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| April 5, 2010 | CO | SB 133 | Income Tax Credit Incentive for Colorado Businesses | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 17) |
| April 2, 2010 | WA | SB 6503 | State Employee Furlough Plan | Bill Passed - House (50 - 38) |
| April 1, 2010 | GA | HB 307 | Hospital Medicaid Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 1, 2010 | GA | HB 1023 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 1, 2010 | CO | HB 1387 | Highway User Tax Fund Diversion to Licensing Services Fund | Bill Passed - House (38 - 27) |
| April 1, 2010 | AL | SB 233 | Prohibiting Individual Health Care Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| March 31, 2010 | AZ | SB 1001 | Authorizing Governor to Challenge Federal Individual Health Care Mandate | Bill Passed - House (34 - 24) |
| March 31, 2010 | MO | HB 1601 | St. Louis Police Department Governance Modifications | Motion Rejected - House (66 - 86) |
| March 31, 2010 | AK | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| March 31, 2010 | AK | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/20 | Amdt 6 | Censuring Representative Jeffery Wood | Amendment Adopted - House (73 - 24) |
| 4/20 | SB 943 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 4/19 | Burges Amdt | Verification of Presidential Candidate's Birth Certificate | Motion Rejected - House (22 - 31) |
| 4/18 | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| 4/18 | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| 4/17 | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Bill Passed - House (31 - 8) |
| 4/17 | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Bill Passed - House (31 - 8) |
| 4/16 | HB 1376 | 2010-2011 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (38 - 25) |
| 4/16 | HB 1376 | 2010-2011 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 4/15 | SB 94 | State Funding for Works of Art in Capital Construction Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 4/15 | SB 1014 | Limiting Prison Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 4/14 | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 7) |
| 4/14 | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 11) |
| 4/14 | HB 1055 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (107 - 63) |
| 4/14 | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| 4/14 | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 4/14 | HB 292 | Open Primaries for Congressional Elections | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| 4/14 | HB 292 | Open Primaries for Congressional Elections | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| 4/14 | SJR 121 | Redistricting Process Modifications | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (36 - 22) |
| 4/14 | Amdt 2565 | Limiting the Number of Terms School Board Members May Serve | Amendment Rejected - House (30 - 65) |
| 4/14 | SJR 121 | Redistricting Process Modifications | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (36 - 22) |
| 4/12 | SB 6444 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 21) |
| 4/12 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 44) |
| 4/12 | SB 6143 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 21) |
| 4/12 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 4/12 | SB 6444 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 4/12 | HB 2836 | 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Capital Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 36) |
| 4/12 | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 4/12 | SB 94 | State Funding for Works of Art in Capital Construction Projects | Bill Passed - House (42 - 21) |
| 4/12 | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| 4/12 | HB 2836 | 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Capital Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 4/10 | SB 6143 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 44) |
| 4/09 | SB 279 | Prohibits False Claims Against State Health Plans and Programs | Bill Passed - House (105 - 33) |
| 4/08 | LB 842 | Repealing Special Prosecutor Requirement for In-Custody Deaths | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 4) |
| 4/07 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 4/07 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Passed - House (100 - 48) |
| 4/07 | HB 348 | Alaska Personnel Board Amendments | Bill Passed - House (29 - 10) |
| 4/06 | LD 1830 | Suspending Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 4/06 | LD 1830 | Suspending Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (91 - 53) |
| 4/05 | SB 133 | Income Tax Credit Incentive for Colorado Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 4/05 | SB 133 | Income Tax Credit Incentive for Colorado Businesses | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 17) |
| 4/02 | SB 6503 | State Employee Furlough Plan | Bill Passed - House (50 - 38) |
| 4/01 | HB 307 | Hospital Medicaid Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/01 | HB 1023 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 4/01 | HB 1387 | Highway User Tax Fund Diversion to Licensing Services Fund | Bill Passed - House (38 - 27) |
| 4/01 | SB 233 | Prohibiting Individual Health Care Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 3/31 | SB 1001 | Authorizing Governor to Challenge Federal Individual Health Care Mandate | Bill Passed - House (34 - 24) |
| 3/31 | HB 1601 | St. Louis Police Department Governance Modifications | Motion Rejected - House (66 - 86) |
| 3/31 | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 3/31 | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |