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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |