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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 19, 2010 | MS | HB 392 | Limiting Gubernatorial Budget Reductions | Bill Passed - House (70 - 49) |
| Jan. 19, 2010 | MO | HCR 18 | Statement of Opposition to Federal Health Care Proposal | Joint Resolution Passed - House (111 - 46) |
| Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47) |
| Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Jan. 14, 2010 | IN | HB 1181 | Allowing Referendums on Retaining or Abolishing Township Governments | Bill Passed - House (54 - 44) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | OH | HJR 12 | "Third Frontier" Program Extension | Joint Resolution Passed - House (85 - 13) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | OH | HB 5 | Campaign Finance Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (48 - 50) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | IL | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 30) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | IA | SF 2033 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | KY | SB 51 | Legislator Pension Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | KY | SB 51 | Legislator Pension Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | SC | H 4219 | Censuring Governor Mark Sanford | Resolution Passed - House (102 - 11) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | TN | HB 614 | Delaying Paper Ballot Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IL | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IN | SB 23 | Unemployment Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | A 4378 | Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | IN | HJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - House (75 - 23) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | A 4378 | Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry | Bill Passed - House (42 - 31) |
| Jan. 7, 2010 | NJ | A 2139 | Tax Expenditure Report Requirement for Governor's Budget Message | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| Jan. 7, 2010 | NJ | A 2139 | Tax Expenditure Report Requirement for Governor's Budget Message | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| Jan. 6, 2010 | PA | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Conference Report Adopted - House (103 - 89) |
| Jan. 6, 2010 | CA | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 6, 2010 | CA | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | PA | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | CA | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | CA | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 17) |
| Dec. 24, 2009 | National | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39) |
| Dec. 23, 2009 | National | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39) |
| Dec. 21, 2009 | CT | SB 2101 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Dec. 21, 2009 | CT | HB 7101 | Delaying the Estate and Gift Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Dec. 21, 2009 | CT | HB 7101 | Delaying the Estate and Gift Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (97 - 39) |
| Dec. 21, 2009 | CT | SB 2101 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (101 - 38) |
| Dec. 17, 2009 | OH | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| Dec. 17, 2009 | OH | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| Dec. 17, 2009 | OH | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Dec. 17, 2009 | OH | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Dec. 16, 2009 | PA | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Dec. 15, 2009 | PA | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - House (103 - 92) |
| Dec. 10, 2009 | CA | ABx5 8 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| Dec. 9, 2009 | OH | SB 8 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Dec. 3, 2009 | National | HR 4154 | Estate Tax Law Amendments and Reinstatement of PAYGO | Bill Passed - House (225 - 200) |
| Dec. 2, 2009 | NY | A 40022 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 3) |
| Dec. 2, 2009 | NY | A 40022 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (106 - 32) |
| Nov. 20, 2009 | WV | SB 4004 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 23) |
| Nov. 19, 2009 | National | PN 187 | David F. Hamilton, Seventh Circuit Judge | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 39) |
| Nov. 18, 2009 | OH | HB 260 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| Nov. 18, 2009 | WV | SB 4004 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2) |
| Nov. 7, 2009 | National | H Amdt 510 | Substitute Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 258) |
| Nov. 5, 2009 | WI | SB 223 | University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Geographic Composition Requirements | Bill Passed - House (59 - 34) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/19 | HB 392 | Limiting Gubernatorial Budget Reductions | Bill Passed - House (70 - 49) |
| 1/19 | HCR 18 | Statement of Opposition to Federal Health Care Proposal | Joint Resolution Passed - House (111 - 46) |
| 1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47) |
| 1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 1/14 | HB 1181 | Allowing Referendums on Retaining or Abolishing Township Governments | Bill Passed - House (54 - 44) |
| 1/13 | HJR 12 | "Third Frontier" Program Extension | Joint Resolution Passed - House (85 - 13) |
| 1/13 | HB 5 | Campaign Finance Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (48 - 50) |
| 1/13 | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 30) |
| 1/13 | SF 2033 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 1/13 | SB 51 | Legislator Pension Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 1/13 | SB 51 | Legislator Pension Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 1/13 | H 4219 | Censuring Governor Mark Sanford | Resolution Passed - House (102 - 11) |
| 1/12 | HB 614 | Delaying Paper Ballot Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 1/12 | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 1/12 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 1/12 | SB 23 | Unemployment Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 1/11 | A 4378 | Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 1/11 | HJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - House (75 - 23) |
| 1/11 | A 4378 | Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry | Bill Passed - House (42 - 31) |
| 1/07 | A 2139 | Tax Expenditure Report Requirement for Governor's Budget Message | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| 1/07 | A 2139 | Tax Expenditure Report Requirement for Governor's Budget Message | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| 1/06 | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Conference Report Adopted - House (103 - 89) |
| 1/06 | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/06 | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 1/05 | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 1/05 | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| 1/05 | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 17) |
| 12/24 | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39) |
| 12/23 | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39) |
| 12/21 | SB 2101 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 12/21 | HB 7101 | Delaying the Estate and Gift Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 12/21 | HB 7101 | Delaying the Estate and Gift Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (97 - 39) |
| 12/21 | SB 2101 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (101 - 38) |
| 12/17 | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| 12/17 | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| 12/17 | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 12/17 | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 12/16 | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 12/15 | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - House (103 - 92) |
| 12/10 | ABx5 8 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| 12/09 | SB 8 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 12/03 | HR 4154 | Estate Tax Law Amendments and Reinstatement of PAYGO | Bill Passed - House (225 - 200) |
| 12/02 | A 40022 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 3) |
| 12/02 | A 40022 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (106 - 32) |
| 11/20 | SB 4004 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 23) |
| 11/19 | PN 187 | David F. Hamilton, Seventh Circuit Judge | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 11/18 | HB 260 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 11/18 | SB 4004 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2) |
| 11/07 | H Amdt 510 | Substitute Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 258) |
| 11/05 | SB 223 | University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Geographic Composition Requirements | Bill Passed - House (59 - 34) |