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. 13, 2013 | KY | SB 9 | Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Nov. 29, 2012 | NJ | S 2241 | Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| May 31, 2012 | IL | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| May 10, 2012 | IL | SB 1313 | Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20) |
| May 3, 2012 | KS | HB 2333 | Amends State Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| May 3, 2012 | KS | King Amendment | Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20) |
| April 10, 2012 | WA | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| April 10, 2012 | AL | SB 388 | Amends State Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| March 14, 2012 | NY | S 6735 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | National | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
| Dec. 13, 2011 | MI | HB 4701 | Amends the State Employee Retirement System | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Nov. 17, 2011 | RI | H 6319 | Amending the Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| Sept. 15, 2011 | MA | S 2018 | Massachusetts Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| June 9, 2011 | AL | HB 414 | Increasing Retirement Contributions for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| June 9, 2011 | NJ | S 805 | Senior Tenants' Rent Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| April 18, 2011 | AZ | SB 1609 | Public Workers' Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| Dec. 8, 2010 | National | S 3985 | Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
| Oct. 14, 2010 | PA | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | MI | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| July 14, 2010 | MO | HB 1 | Public Retirement Systems | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 5) |
| May 5, 2010 | IL | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 9) |
| April 28, 2010 | MO | HB 2010 | 2010-2011 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Serices Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 10) |
| April 23, 2010 | CO | SB 190 | Suspension of Tax Exemption for Seniors | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| April 20, 2010 | MO | SB 714 | State Employee Retirement System Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
| April 14, 2010 | MI | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| March 24, 2010 | IL | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 3, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3353 | Payment to Social Security Recipients | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
| March 1, 2010 | UT | SB 43 | Retirement System Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| March 1, 2010 | UT | SB 63 | Retirement System Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
| Feb. 1, 2010 | CO | SB 1 | Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Oct. 21, 2009 | National | S 1776 | Eliminating Adjustments to Medicare Rates of Payment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| June 2, 2009 | NC | SB 703 | Restrictions on the State Treasurer Regarding the State Pension Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| May 28, 2009 | LA | SB 296 | Retirement Debt Payment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| May 1, 2009 | FL | HB 479 | Amendments Regarding Public Employee Retirement | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 2577 | Age-Restricted Housing Exemptions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| March 13, 2009 | WV | SB 238 | Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Aug. 20, 2008 | CA | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| July 15, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (70 - 26) |
| July 9, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| May 29, 2008 | IL | SB 788 | Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| May 1, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1447 | Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| March 12, 2008 | KY | HB 600 | State Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MS | SB 2998 | Immunity for Physicians Treating Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/13 | SB 9 | Establishes Review Panels to Assess Nursing Home Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 11/29 | S 2241 | Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 5/31 | HB 1447 | Pension Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 5/10 | SB 1313 | Limits Health Care Coverage for Retired State Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 20) |
| 5/03 | HB 2333 | Amends State Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 5/03 | King Amendment | Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 4/10 | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 4/10 | SB 388 | Amends State Employee Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 3/14 | S 6735 | Amends the Public Employee Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 12/14 | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
| 12/13 | HB 4701 | Amends the State Employee Retirement System | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 11/17 | H 6319 | Amending the Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| 9/15 | S 2018 | Massachusetts Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 6/09 | HB 414 | Increasing Retirement Contributions for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 6/09 | S 805 | Senior Tenants' Rent Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 5/31 | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| 4/18 | SB 1609 | Public Workers' Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 12/08 | S 3985 | Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
| 10/14 | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| 9/23 | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 7/14 | HB 1 | Public Retirement Systems | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 5/05 | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 9) |
| 4/28 | HB 2010 | 2010-2011 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Serices Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 4/23 | SB 190 | Suspension of Tax Exemption for Seniors | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 4/20 | SB 714 | State Employee Retirement System Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
| 4/14 | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 3/24 | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 3/03 | S Amdt 3353 | Payment to Social Security Recipients | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
| 3/01 | SB 43 | Retirement System Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 3/01 | SB 63 | Retirement System Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
| 2/01 | SB 1 | Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 10/21 | S 1776 | Eliminating Adjustments to Medicare Rates of Payment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 6/25 | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 6/02 | SB 703 | Restrictions on the State Treasurer Regarding the State Pension Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 5/28 | SB 296 | Retirement Debt Payment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 5/01 | HB 479 | Amendments Regarding Public Employee Retirement | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 3/16 | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 3/16 | S 2577 | Age-Restricted Housing Exemptions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 3/13 | SB 238 | Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 8/20 | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 7/15 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (70 - 26) |
| 7/09 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30) |
| 5/29 | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 5/29 | SB 788 | Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| 5/01 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 3/19 | S 1447 | Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 3/12 | HB 600 | State Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
| 2/27 | SB 2998 | Immunity for Physicians Treating Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |