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
Jan. 29, 2009 ND HB 1182 Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use Bill Passed - House (56 - 38)
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 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)
Jan. 28, 2009 AR HB 1119 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups Bill Passed - House (62 - 27)
Jan. 27, 2009 AR HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
Jan. 27, 2009 VA SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Jan. 26, 2009 CO HB 1042 Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations Bill Passed - House (37 - 27)
Jan. 26, 2009 CO HB 1042 Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations Bill Passed - House (37 - 27)
Jan. 26, 2009 WY HB 98 Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor Bill Failed - House (20 - 39)
Jan. 26, 2009 WY HB 98 Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor Bill Failed - House (20 - 39)
Jan. 20, 2009 MT HB 62 Mandatory Trapper Education Course Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
Jan. 20, 2009 MT HB 62 Mandatory Trapper Education Course Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
Jan. 15, 2009 National S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21)
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 8 Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Dec. 11, 2008 MI SB 505 Authorizing Judges to Carry Concealed Weapons in Courtrooms Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
Dec. 10, 2008 OH HB 648 Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information Bill Passed - House (69 - 26)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4090 Expanding Early Voting Bill Passed - House (58 - 50)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 5117 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (68 - 32)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
Nov. 21, 2008 NE LB 1 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5)
Nov. 18, 2008 NE Amdt 4 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26)
Oct. 21, 2008 SC S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
Oct. 21, 2008 SC S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
Sept. 17, 2008 National HR 6842 Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban Bill Passed - House (266 - 152)
Sept. 16, 2008 CA SCA 12 State Lottery Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - House (63 - 14)
Sept. 16, 2008 CA SCA 12 State Lottery Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 60 Expanding Driver's License Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 1301 Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA SB 60 Expanding Driver's License Eligibility Bill Passed - House (41 - 31)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
Aug. 21, 2008 CA SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2747 Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
Aug. 19, 2008 CA SB 1171 Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Aug. 19, 2008 IL HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
Aug. 19, 2008 NM SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - House (51 - 16)
Aug. 19, 2008 NM HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
Aug. 18, 2008 NM SB 22 Subsidizing Children's Health Care Bill Passed - House (47 - 19)
Aug. 18, 2008 NM SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
Aug. 16, 2008 NM HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - House (39 - 25)
Aug. 13, 2008 CA AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22)
Aug. 13, 2008 IL HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/29 HB 1182 Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use Bill Passed - House (56 - 38)
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 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)
1/28 HB 1119 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups Bill Passed - House (62 - 27)
1/27 HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
1/27 SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
1/26 HB 1042 Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations Bill Passed - House (37 - 27)
1/26 HB 1042 Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations Bill Passed - House (37 - 27)
1/26 HB 98 Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor Bill Failed - House (20 - 39)
1/26 HB 98 Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor Bill Failed - House (20 - 39)
1/20 HB 62 Mandatory Trapper Education Course Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
1/20 HB 62 Mandatory Trapper Education Course Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
1/15 S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21)
12/18 ABx1 8 Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
12/11 SB 505 Authorizing Judges to Carry Concealed Weapons in Courtrooms Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
12/10 HB 648 Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information Bill Passed - House (69 - 26)
12/04 HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
12/04 HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
12/04 HB 4090 Expanding Early Voting Bill Passed - House (58 - 50)
12/04 HB 5117 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (68 - 32)
12/04 HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
12/04 HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
11/21 LB 1 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5)
11/18 Amdt 4 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26)
10/21 S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
10/21 S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
9/17 HR 6842 Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban Bill Passed - House (266 - 152)
9/16 SCA 12 State Lottery Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - House (63 - 14)
9/16 SCA 12 State Lottery Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
8/31 SB 60 Expanding Driver's License Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
8/31 SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
8/31 SB 1301 Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
8/29 SB 60 Expanding Driver's License Eligibility Bill Passed - House (41 - 31)
8/29 SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
8/21 SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
8/20 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/20 AB 2747 Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/20 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/20 AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
8/19 SB 1171 Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
8/19 HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
8/19 SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - House (51 - 16)
8/19 HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
8/18 SB 22 Subsidizing Children's Health Care Bill Passed - House (47 - 19)
8/18 SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
8/16 HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - House (39 - 25)
8/13 AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22)
8/13 HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 21)

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