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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2010 | MS | SB 2293 | Allowing "Under-Performing" Schools to Become Charter Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| March 27, 2010 | IA | Amdt 5371 | Authorizing Qualified Individuals to Conceal Weapons Without a Permit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 28) |
| March 26, 2010 | KY | HB 368 | Telephone and Online Gambling Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| March 26, 2010 | ID | H 729 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| March 26, 2010 | GA | SB 529 | Abortion Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 26, 2010 | IL | HB 5109 | Prohibiting Public Funding of Portraits of Governors Removed From Office | Bill Passed - House (85 - 23) |
| March 25, 2010 | MI | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| March 25, 2010 | IL | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| March 24, 2010 | ID | H 496 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| March 24, 2010 | NH | HB 1693 | Prohibiting Legislative Facilities Committee From Adopting Additional Weapons Regulations | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (191 - 167) |
| March 24, 2010 | KS | HB 2685 | Authorizing Concealed Weapons on Campus | Bill Passed - House (65 - 57) |
| March 24, 2010 | NH | SB 489 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| March 24, 2010 | MD | SB 1035 | Authorizes Card Games at a Specific Facility | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 24, 2010 | OH | SB 150 | County Sheriff Assistance with Federal Immigration Law Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| March 24, 2010 | MD | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| March 24, 2010 | OH | SB 35 | State Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| March 23, 2010 | IA | HF 2456 | Texting While Driving Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 12) |
| March 23, 2010 | IA | HF 2456 | Texting While Driving Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 33) |
| March 22, 2010 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| March 22, 2010 | NJ | S 799 | Adopted Individuals' Access to Birth Certificates | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| March 22, 2010 | AZ | SB 1309 | Expanding Parental Consent Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 22, 2010 | IL | HB 4886 | Authorizing 4-Day School Week | Bill Passed - House (81 - 21) |
| March 18, 2010 | AZ | HB 2736 | Cactus League Ticket Surcharge for Stadium Costs | Bill Passed - House (35 - 19) |
| March 18, 2010 | IL | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| March 18, 2010 | IL | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 39) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/27 | SB 2293 | Allowing "Under-Performing" Schools to Become Charter Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 3/27 | Amdt 5371 | Authorizing Qualified Individuals to Conceal Weapons Without a Permit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 28) |
| 3/26 | HB 368 | Telephone and Online Gambling Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 3/26 | H 729 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| 3/26 | SB 529 | Abortion Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 3/26 | HB 5109 | Prohibiting Public Funding of Portraits of Governors Removed From Office | Bill Passed - House (85 - 23) |
| 3/25 | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 3/25 | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| 3/24 | H 496 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 3/24 | HB 1693 | Prohibiting Legislative Facilities Committee From Adopting Additional Weapons Regulations | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (191 - 167) |
| 3/24 | HB 2685 | Authorizing Concealed Weapons on Campus | Bill Passed - House (65 - 57) |
| 3/24 | SB 489 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 3/24 | SB 1035 | Authorizes Card Games at a Specific Facility | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 3/24 | SB 150 | County Sheriff Assistance with Federal Immigration Law Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 3/24 | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 3/24 | SB 35 | State Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 3/23 | HF 2456 | Texting While Driving Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 12) |
| 3/23 | HF 2456 | Texting While Driving Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 33) |
| 3/22 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| 3/22 | S 799 | Adopted Individuals' Access to Birth Certificates | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 3/22 | SB 1309 | Expanding Parental Consent Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/22 | HB 4886 | Authorizing 4-Day School Week | Bill Passed - House (81 - 21) |
| 3/18 | HB 2736 | Cactus League Ticket Surcharge for Stadium Costs | Bill Passed - House (35 - 19) |
| 3/18 | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| 3/18 | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 39) |