Key Votes

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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
March 16, 2009 NJ S 2577 Age-Restricted Housing Exemptions Bill Passed - House (42 - 28)
March 13, 2009 WV SB 238 Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
March 12, 2009 SD HB 1197 Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
March 11, 2009 SD HB 1197 Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction Veto Override Passed - House (60 - 10)
March 11, 2009 UT HB 179 Authorizing Land Swap for Development of UTA Rail Station Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
March 11, 2009 MI HB 4454 Written Foreclosure Notice Requirement Bill Passed - House (75 - 33)
March 11, 2009 WA SB 5895 Housing Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
March 11, 2009 MI HB 4453 Holds in Foreclosure Proceedings Bill Passed - House (73 - 34)
March 5, 2009 UT HB 179 Authorizing Land Swap for Development of UTA Rail Station Bill Passed - House (52 - 21)
March 5, 2009 National HR 1106 Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy Bill Passed - House (234 - 191)
March 3, 2009 UT HB 187 Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property Bill Failed - House (34 - 41)
March 2, 2009 UT HB 66 Tax Law and Education Funding Amendments Bill Failed - House (33 - 42)
Feb. 26, 2009 OR HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
Feb. 20, 2009 CO HB 1091 Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
Feb. 17, 2009 OR HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
Feb. 12, 2009 GA HB 233 Two-Year Property Tax Assessment Freeze Bill Passed - House (110 - 63)
Feb. 9, 2009 IN SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (34 - 16)
Feb. 6, 2009 GA HB 143 Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 24)
Feb. 6, 2009 GA SB 83 Expanding Homestead Property Tax Exemption Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
Feb. 4, 2009 VA HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - House (80 - 17)
Feb. 2, 2009 NY A 1688 Expanding Local Control Over Rent Laws Bill Passed - House (94 - 49)
Feb. 2, 2009 WY HB 87 Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction Bill Failed - House (24 - 36)
Feb. 2, 2009 NY A 1686 Reducing the Cap on Vacated Apartment Rent Increases Bill Passed - House (100 - 43)
Feb. 2, 2009 NY A 2005 Expanding Rent Control Coverage Bill Passed - House (91 - 52)
Feb. 2, 2009 NY A 860 Increasing Income and Rent Threshold to Qualify for Rent Deregulation Bill Passed - House (86 - 58)
Feb. 2, 2009 CO HB 1091 Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
Jan. 30, 2009 GA HB 143 Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization Bill Passed - House (117 - 55)
Jan. 26, 2009 MT SB 131 Wildland-Urban Interface Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Jan. 21, 2009 National HR 384 Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program Bill Passed - House (260 - 166)
Dec. 15, 2008 NJ S 1599 Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
Dec. 15, 2008 NJ S 1599 Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
Nov. 24, 2008 NJ A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
Nov. 17, 2008 NJ A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
Oct. 21, 2008 SC H Amdt 20 to H 5300 Repealing Property Tax Exemption Amendment Tabled - House (98 - 17)
Oct. 3, 2008 National HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171)
Oct. 1, 2008 National HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25)
Sept. 29, 2008 National HR 3997 Financial Asset Purchase Authority Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228)
Aug. 30, 2008 CA SB 375 Global Warming and Land Use Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Aug. 25, 2008 CA SB 375 Global Warming and Land Use Policy Bill Passed - House (49 - 22)
Aug. 19, 2008 IL HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11)
Aug. 19, 2008 NY A 11838 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (118 - 24)
Aug. 13, 2008 IL HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 12)
Aug. 8, 2008 NY S 8736 School District Property Tax Cap Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 20)
July 26, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13)
July 23, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152)
July 18, 2008 NC HB 2499 Water Management During Droughts Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 36)
July 17, 2008 NC HB 2499 Water Management During Droughts Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9)
July 15, 2008 NC HB 2499 Water Management During Droughts Bill Passed - House (92 - 20)
July 10, 2008 NC HB 822 Swine Farm Rebuilding Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/16 S 2577 Age-Restricted Housing Exemptions Bill Passed - House (42 - 28)
3/13 SB 238 Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
3/12 HB 1197 Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
3/11 HB 1197 Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction Veto Override Passed - House (60 - 10)
3/11 HB 179 Authorizing Land Swap for Development of UTA Rail Station Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
3/11 HB 4454 Written Foreclosure Notice Requirement Bill Passed - House (75 - 33)
3/11 SB 5895 Housing Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
3/11 HB 4453 Holds in Foreclosure Proceedings Bill Passed - House (73 - 34)
3/05 HB 179 Authorizing Land Swap for Development of UTA Rail Station Bill Passed - House (52 - 21)
3/05 HR 1106 Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy Bill Passed - House (234 - 191)
3/03 HB 187 Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property Bill Failed - House (34 - 41)
3/02 HB 66 Tax Law and Education Funding Amendments Bill Failed - House (33 - 42)
2/26 HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
2/24 HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
2/20 HB 1091 Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
2/17 HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
2/12 HB 233 Two-Year Property Tax Assessment Freeze Bill Passed - House (110 - 63)
2/09 SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (34 - 16)
2/06 HB 143 Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 24)
2/06 SB 83 Expanding Homestead Property Tax Exemption Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
2/04 HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - House (80 - 17)
2/02 A 1688 Expanding Local Control Over Rent Laws Bill Passed - House (94 - 49)
2/02 HB 87 Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction Bill Failed - House (24 - 36)
2/02 A 1686 Reducing the Cap on Vacated Apartment Rent Increases Bill Passed - House (100 - 43)
2/02 A 2005 Expanding Rent Control Coverage Bill Passed - House (91 - 52)
2/02 A 860 Increasing Income and Rent Threshold to Qualify for Rent Deregulation Bill Passed - House (86 - 58)
2/02 HB 1091 Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
1/30 HB 143 Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization Bill Passed - House (117 - 55)
1/26 SB 131 Wildland-Urban Interface Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
1/21 HR 384 Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program Bill Passed - House (260 - 166)
12/15 S 1599 Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
12/15 S 1599 Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
11/24 A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
11/17 A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
10/21 H Amdt 20 to H 5300 Repealing Property Tax Exemption Amendment Tabled - House (98 - 17)
10/03 HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171)
10/01 HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25)
9/29 HR 3997 Financial Asset Purchase Authority Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228)
8/30 SB 375 Global Warming and Land Use Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
8/25 SB 375 Global Warming and Land Use Policy Bill Passed - House (49 - 22)
8/19 HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11)
8/19 A 11838 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (118 - 24)
8/13 HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 12)
8/08 S 8736 School District Property Tax Cap Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 20)
7/26 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13)
7/23 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152)
7/18 HB 2499 Water Management During Droughts Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 36)
7/17 HB 2499 Water Management During Droughts Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9)
7/15 HB 2499 Water Management During Droughts Bill Passed - House (92 - 20)
7/10 HB 822 Swine Farm Rebuilding Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8)

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