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. 17, 2009 | ND | HB 1572 | Legislative Intent With Regards to the Legal Definition of Life | Bill Passed - House (51 - 41) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | MS | HB 234 | Sex Education Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | MS | HB 234 | Sex Education Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | AR | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | UT | HB 222 | Offering Anesthetics to Women Undergoing Abortions | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | UT | HB 90 | Increasing Illegal Abortion Penalty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | MT | HB 157 | Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | WY | HB 31 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | UT | HB 222 | Offering Anesthetics to Women Undergoing Abortions | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | UT | HB 90 | Increasing Illegal Abortion Penalty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | CO | HB 1091 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | Amdt 2002 to HB 31 | Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | Amdt 2001 to HB 31 | Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | HB 141 | Amending DUI Statutes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 10) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | UT | HB 17 | Allowing Doctors to Prescribe Antibiotics to Unnamed Sexual Partners | Bill Passed - House (63 - 8) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | UT | HB 17 | Allowing Doctors to Prescribe Antibiotics to Unnamed Sexual Partners | Bill Passed - House (63 - 8) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| 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 | National | HR 2 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion | Bill Passed - House (289 - 139) |
| Oct. 27, 2008 | NJ | A 2550 | Renewable Energy Facilities Within Industrial Districts | Bill Passed - House (60 - 15) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | H Amdt 11 to H 5300 | Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. Funding | Amendment Tabled - House (66 - 50) |
| Sept. 18, 2008 | MI | SB 213 | Renewable Electricity Standards | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 24) |
| Sept. 18, 2008 | MI | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 29) |
| Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | AB 1945 | Health Insurance Cancellation Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | SB 840 | California Universal Healthcare Agency | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| Aug. 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2765 | Aerial Spraying Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14) |
| Aug. 27, 2008 | CA | SB 1420 | Nutritional Information Disclosure in Chain Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| Aug. 27, 2008 | CA | SB 1313 | Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban | Bill Passed - House (43 - 30) |
| Aug. 25, 2008 | CA | SB 375 | Global Warming and Land Use Policy | Bill Passed - House (49 - 22) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | CA | AB 1894 | Health Insurance Coverage of HIV Testing | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | CA | SB 1440 | Capping Administrative Spending for Health Insurers | Bill Passed - House (46 - 31) |
| Aug. 18, 2008 | NM | SB 22 | Subsidizing Children's Health Care | Bill Passed - House (47 - 19) |
| Aug. 18, 2008 | CA | SB 1713 | Bisphenol A (BPA) Ban | Bill Failed - House (33 - 32) |
| Aug. 18, 2008 | CA | SB 1313 | Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban | Bill Failed - House (37 - 34) |
| Aug. 17, 2008 | NM | HB 5 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| Aug. 13, 2008 | IL | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 21) |
| Aug. 12, 2008 | CA | AB 2270 | Water Softener Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 19) |
| Aug. 12, 2008 | CA | AB 1946 | Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 29) |
| July 30, 2008 | National | HR 1108 | FDA Regulation of Tobacco | Bill Passed - House (326 - 102) |
| July 24, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115) |
| July 24, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115) |
| July 18, 2008 | NC | HB 2499 | Water Management During Droughts | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 36) |
| July 16, 2008 | National | HR 415 | Adding Parts of the Taunton River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System | Bill Passed - House (242 - 175) |
| July 15, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
| July 15, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
| July 15, 2008 | NC | HB 2499 | Water Management During Droughts | Bill Passed - House (92 - 20) |
| July 14, 2008 | CA | AB 97 | Trans Fats Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| July 14, 2008 | CA | AB 1155 | Penalties for Healthcare Service Plan Underpayments or Failures to Pay Service Providers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/17 | HB 1572 | Legislative Intent With Regards to the Legal Definition of Life | Bill Passed - House (51 - 41) |
| 2/12 | HB 234 | Sex Education Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| 2/12 | HB 234 | Sex Education Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| 2/09 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 2/05 | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| 2/03 | HB 222 | Offering Anesthetics to Women Undergoing Abortions | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| 2/03 | HB 90 | Increasing Illegal Abortion Penalty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| 2/03 | HB 157 | Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| 2/03 | HB 31 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| 2/03 | HB 222 | Offering Anesthetics to Women Undergoing Abortions | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| 2/03 | HB 90 | Increasing Illegal Abortion Penalty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| 2/02 | HB 1091 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| 1/30 | Amdt 2002 to HB 31 | Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18) |
| 1/30 | Amdt 2001 to HB 31 | Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25) |
| 1/30 | HB 141 | Amending DUI Statutes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 10) |
| 1/29 | HB 17 | Allowing Doctors to Prescribe Antibiotics to Unnamed Sexual Partners | Bill Passed - House (63 - 8) |
| 1/29 | HB 17 | Allowing Doctors to Prescribe Antibiotics to Unnamed Sexual Partners | Bill Passed - House (63 - 8) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| 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 2 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion | Bill Passed - House (289 - 139) |
| 10/27 | A 2550 | Renewable Energy Facilities Within Industrial Districts | Bill Passed - House (60 - 15) |
| 10/21 | H Amdt 11 to H 5300 | Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. Funding | Amendment Tabled - House (66 - 50) |
| 9/18 | SB 213 | Renewable Electricity Standards | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 24) |
| 9/18 | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 29) |
| 8/31 | AB 1945 | Health Insurance Cancellation Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17) |
| 8/29 | SB 840 | California Universal Healthcare Agency | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| 8/28 | AB 2765 | Aerial Spraying Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14) |
| 8/27 | SB 1420 | Nutritional Information Disclosure in Chain Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| 8/27 | SB 1313 | Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban | Bill Passed - House (43 - 30) |
| 8/25 | SB 375 | Global Warming and Land Use Policy | Bill Passed - House (49 - 22) |
| 8/19 | AB 1894 | Health Insurance Coverage of HIV Testing | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| 8/19 | SB 1440 | Capping Administrative Spending for Health Insurers | Bill Passed - House (46 - 31) |
| 8/18 | SB 22 | Subsidizing Children's Health Care | Bill Passed - House (47 - 19) |
| 8/18 | SB 1713 | Bisphenol A (BPA) Ban | Bill Failed - House (33 - 32) |
| 8/18 | SB 1313 | Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban | Bill Failed - House (37 - 34) |
| 8/17 | HB 5 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| 8/13 | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 21) |
| 8/12 | AB 2270 | Water Softener Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 19) |
| 8/12 | AB 1946 | Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 29) |
| 7/30 | HR 1108 | FDA Regulation of Tobacco | Bill Passed - House (326 - 102) |
| 7/24 | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115) |
| 7/24 | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115) |
| 7/18 | HB 2499 | Water Management During Droughts | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 36) |
| 7/16 | HR 415 | Adding Parts of the Taunton River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System | Bill Passed - House (242 - 175) |
| 7/15 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
| 7/15 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
| 7/15 | HB 2499 | Water Management During Droughts | Bill Passed - House (92 - 20) |
| 7/14 | AB 97 | Trans Fats Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| 7/14 | AB 1155 | Penalties for Healthcare Service Plan Underpayments or Failures to Pay Service Providers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 26) |