Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
Jan. 29, 2009 KS SB 23 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Jan. 28, 2009 MT HB 13 State Employee Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
Jan. 28, 2009 OR SB 5562 Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Jan. 28, 2009 OR SB 338 Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Jan. 28, 2009 MT HB 13 State Employee Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
Jan. 27, 2009 IA SF 44 Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
Jan. 27, 2009 IA SF 44 Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
Jan. 27, 2009 WI AB 2 Mandatory State Contracting with Domestic Companies Bill Passed - House (69 - 30)
Jan. 27, 2009 WI AB 1 Wisconsin-Based Products and Services Purchasing Goals Bill Passed - House (77 - 22)
Jan. 27, 2009 AR HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
Jan. 27, 2009 VA SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Jan. 27, 2009 AR HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
Jan. 26, 2009 VA SB 810 Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Jan. 26, 2009 MO HCR 5 Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31)
Jan. 26, 2009 MO HCR 5 Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31)
Jan. 22, 2009 MS HB 1090 Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight Bill Passed - House (64 - 53)
Jan. 21, 2009 MT SB 31 Revising Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission Membership Qualifications Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
Jan. 21, 2009 WY SF 12 Increasing Campaign Contribution Limit Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
Jan. 19, 2009 WY HB 67 Taxing Moist Snuff Tobacco Based on Weight Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
Jan. 15, 2009 CT HB 5095 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
Jan. 14, 2009 FL SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13)
Jan. 14, 2009 FL SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
Jan. 14, 2009 MS HB 364 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - House (81 - 39)
Jan. 14, 2009 IL HR 5 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Resolution Passed - House (117 - 1)
Jan. 14, 2009 TX SR 14 Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/29 SB 23 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
1/28 HB 13 State Employee Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
1/28 SB 5562 Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
1/28 SB 338 Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
1/28 HB 13 State Employee Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
1/27 SF 44 Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
1/27 SF 44 Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
1/27 AB 2 Mandatory State Contracting with Domestic Companies Bill Passed - House (69 - 30)
1/27 AB 1 Wisconsin-Based Products and Services Purchasing Goals Bill Passed - House (77 - 22)
1/27 HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
1/27 SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
1/27 HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
1/26 SB 810 Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
1/26 HCR 5 Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31)
1/26 HCR 5 Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31)
1/22 HB 1090 Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight Bill Passed - House (64 - 53)
1/21 SB 31 Revising Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission Membership Qualifications Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
1/21 SF 12 Increasing Campaign Contribution Limit Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
1/19 HB 67 Taxing Moist Snuff Tobacco Based on Weight Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
1/15 HB 5095 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
1/14 SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13)
1/14 SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
1/14 HB 364 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - House (81 - 39)
1/14 HR 5 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Resolution Passed - House (117 - 1)
1/14 SR 14 Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13)

arrow_upward