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
April 1, 2009 IL HB 72 Cell Phone Ban in School Speed Zones and Construction Zones Bill Passed - House (90 - 24)
April 1, 2009 IL HB 71 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (89 - 27)
March 27, 2009 WV HB 2621 Prohibiting the Use of Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
March 24, 2009 NH HB 34 Banning Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (222 - 137)
March 18, 2009 IL HB 442 Expanding Red-Light Traffic Camera Enforcement Bill Passed - House (68 - 47)
March 12, 2009 UT HB 290 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 29)
March 12, 2009 UT SB 208 Posting Public Notices Online Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 10)
March 11, 2009 UT SB 208 Posting Public Notices Online Bill Passed - House (38 - 32)
March 4, 2009 GA SB 235 Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation
Jan. 29, 2009 AR HB 1013 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (78 - 12)
Jan. 28, 2009 WY SF 65 Ban on Texting While Driving Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
Jan. 28, 2009 AR HB 1119 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups Bill Passed - House (62 - 27)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 5117 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (68 - 32)
Aug. 21, 2008 CA SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Aug. 18, 2008 NM HB 5 Electronic Medical Records Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Aug. 17, 2008 NM HB 5 Electronic Medical Records Bill Passed - House (35 - 29)
Aug. 13, 2008 CA AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22)
Aug. 13, 2008 CA SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (52 - 24)
Aug. 11, 2008 CA AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
July 9, 2008 National S Amdt 5064 Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66)
July 9, 2008 National HR 5811 Electronic Communications Preservation Act Bill Passed - House (286 - 137)
July 9, 2008 National HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28)
June 24, 2008 NY S 8638 Internet Sales Tax Repeal Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
June 20, 2008 RI S 2706 Red Light Cameras Bill Passed - House (44 - 12)
June 20, 2008 National HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - House (293 - 129)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/01 HB 72 Cell Phone Ban in School Speed Zones and Construction Zones Bill Passed - House (90 - 24)
4/01 HB 71 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (89 - 27)
3/27 HB 2621 Prohibiting the Use of Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
3/24 HB 34 Banning Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (222 - 137)
3/18 HB 442 Expanding Red-Light Traffic Camera Enforcement Bill Passed - House (68 - 47)
3/12 HB 290 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 29)
3/12 SB 208 Posting Public Notices Online Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 10)
3/11 SB 208 Posting Public Notices Online Bill Passed - House (38 - 32)
3/04 SB 235 Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation
1/29 HB 1013 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (78 - 12)
1/28 SF 65 Ban on Texting While Driving Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17)
1/28 HB 1119 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups Bill Passed - House (62 - 27)
12/04 HB 5117 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (68 - 32)
8/21 SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
8/18 HB 5 Electronic Medical Records Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
8/17 HB 5 Electronic Medical Records Bill Passed - House (35 - 29)
8/13 AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22)
8/13 SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (52 - 24)
8/11 AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
7/09 S Amdt 5064 Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66)
7/09 HR 5811 Electronic Communications Preservation Act Bill Passed - House (286 - 137)
7/09 HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28)
6/24 S 8638 Internet Sales Tax Repeal Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18)
6/20 S 2706 Red Light Cameras Bill Passed - House (44 - 12)
6/20 HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - House (293 - 129)

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