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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 11, 2010 | KS | SCR 1615 | Statement of Opposition to Federal Mandates | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | SC | H 3272 | Property Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 13) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1194 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1195 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1193 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1191 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1192 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1199 | Temporary Limit on Income Tax Reduction for Net Operating Loss | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1189 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1196 | Repealing Income Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | VA | SB 102 | Starting Biennial Budgets in Odd-Numbered Years | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | VA | SB 601 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | WA | SB 6382 | Extending State Employee Salary Freeze | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | NY | R 3904 | Expelling Senator Hiram Monserrate from the Senate | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | WA | SB 6843 | Suspension of Tax Increase Vote Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | NY | R 3904 | Expelling Senator Hiram Monserrate from the Senate | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | MN | SF 2360 | Construction Projects Authorizations and Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 14) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | NM | SB 531 | Legislative Finance Committee Review of Confidential Information | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | NM | SB 531 | Legislative Finance Committee Review of Confidential Information | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | NY | A 9544 | Election and Campaign Finance Ethics Amendments | Veto Override Failed - Senate (35 - 26) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | VA | SB 239 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | VA | SB 239 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 4, 2010 | IA | SF 2062 | State Worker Retirement Incentive Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
| Feb. 3, 2010 | UT | SB 11 | Federal Arms Regulation Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Feb. 2, 2010 | KY | SB 53 | Allowing Independents to Vote in Primaries | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| Feb. 2, 2010 | UT | SB 36 | Requesting Removal of Wolves From Endangered Species List | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| Feb. 1, 2010 | VA | SB 283 | Prohibiting Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 1, 2010 | IA | SF 2088 | Government Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| Feb. 1, 2010 | CO | SB 1 | Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | DE | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | WI | SB 263 | Expanding Access to Public Defenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Jan. 26, 2010 | OH | HJR 12 | "Third Frontier" Program Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Jan. 26, 2010 | OH | Schiavoni Amdt | Casino Location Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Jan. 26, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3302 | Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
| Jan. 25, 2010 | VA | SB 83 | Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| Jan. 19, 2010 | IA | HF 2030 | School District Budget Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | KY | SB 51 | Legislator Pension Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 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. 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. 6, 2010 | CA | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| Jan. 6, 2010 | CA | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | PA | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Dec. 24, 2009 | National | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/11 | SCR 1615 | Statement of Opposition to Federal Mandates | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| 2/10 | H 3272 | Property Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 13) |
| 2/10 | HB 1194 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/10 | HB 1195 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/10 | HB 1193 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/10 | HB 1191 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/10 | HB 1192 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/10 | HB 1199 | Temporary Limit on Income Tax Reduction for Net Operating Loss | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/10 | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/10 | HB 1189 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 2/10 | HB 1196 | Repealing Income Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/10 | SB 102 | Starting Biennial Budgets in Odd-Numbered Years | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 2/10 | SB 601 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/09 | SB 6382 | Extending State Employee Salary Freeze | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| 2/09 | R 3904 | Expelling Senator Hiram Monserrate from the Senate | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| 2/09 | SB 6843 | Suspension of Tax Increase Vote Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 2/09 | R 3904 | Expelling Senator Hiram Monserrate from the Senate | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| 2/09 | SF 2360 | Construction Projects Authorizations and Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 14) |
| 2/08 | SB 531 | Legislative Finance Committee Review of Confidential Information | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| 2/08 | SB 531 | Legislative Finance Committee Review of Confidential Information | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
| 2/08 | A 9544 | Election and Campaign Finance Ethics Amendments | Veto Override Failed - Senate (35 - 26) |
| 2/08 | SB 239 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/08 | SB 239 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/04 | SF 2062 | State Worker Retirement Incentive Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
| 2/03 | SB 11 | Federal Arms Regulation Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 2/02 | SB 53 | Allowing Independents to Vote in Primaries | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 2/02 | SB 36 | Requesting Removal of Wolves From Endangered Species List | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 2/01 | SB 283 | Prohibiting Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 2/01 | SF 2088 | Government Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 2/01 | SB 1 | Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 1/28 | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| 1/28 | SB 263 | Expanding Access to Public Defenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 1/26 | HJR 12 | "Third Frontier" Program Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 1/26 | Schiavoni Amdt | Casino Location Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 1/26 | S Amdt 3302 | Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 1/25 | SB 83 | Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 1/19 | HF 2030 | School District Budget Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 1/13 | SB 51 | Legislator Pension Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 1/13 | SF 2033 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 1/13 | SB 51 | Legislator Pension Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 1/12 | 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) |
| 1/06 | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 1/06 | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/05 | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 12/24 | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39) |