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. 17, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8145 | Animal Facility Regulations | Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 53) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8140 | Animal Abuse and Neglect Penalties | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 52) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | SD | HB 1178 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | UT | HB 113 | Child Safety Seat Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (24 - 47) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | NM | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | NM | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | NM | SB 216 | Repeal "Guilty but Mentally Ill" Plea | Bill Passed - House (40 - 21) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | VA | SB 334 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | VA | SB 464 | Requiring Insurance Coverage of Autism Disorder | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | VA | SB 408 | Gun Regulation Modifications | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Feb. 15, 2010 | WA | HB 2793 | Legalizing Paid Surrogacy | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 15, 2010 | AZ | SB 1070 | Expanding Undocumented Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2010 | NM | SB 10 | Limiting Food Tax Deduction to Staple Foods | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 19) |
| Feb. 12, 2010 | NM | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
| Feb. 12, 2010 | NM | SB 254 | Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4) |
| Feb. 12, 2010 | NM | SB 254 | Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4) |
| Feb. 12, 2010 | NM | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
| Feb. 12, 2010 | NM | SB 40 | Authorizing Concealed Weapons in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15) |
| Feb. 11, 2010 | NM | SB 216 | Repeal "Guilty but Mentally Ill" Plea | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 19) |
| Feb. 11, 2010 | AZ | SB 1125 | Statewide Prohibition of Roadside Animal Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | UT | SB 11 | Federal Arms Regulation Exemption | Bill Passed - House (56 - 17) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | KY | HB 70 | Voting Rights For Certain Felons | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | WY | HB 68 | Repealing Campaign Finance Restrictions | Bill Failed - House (36 - 22) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | MS | HB 232 | Novelty Lighter Ban | Bill Passed - House (94 - 25) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | KY | HB 70 | Voting Rights For Certain Felons | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/17 | Amdt 8145 | Animal Facility Regulations | Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 53) |
| 2/17 | Amdt 8140 | Animal Abuse and Neglect Penalties | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 52) |
| 2/17 | HB 1178 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| 2/17 | HB 113 | Child Safety Seat Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (24 - 47) |
| 2/16 | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| 2/16 | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| 2/16 | SB 216 | Repeal "Guilty but Mentally Ill" Plea | Bill Passed - House (40 - 21) |
| 2/16 | SB 334 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/16 | SB 464 | Requiring Insurance Coverage of Autism Disorder | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 2/16 | SB 408 | Gun Regulation Modifications | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 2/15 | HB 2793 | Legalizing Paid Surrogacy | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 2/15 | SB 1070 | Expanding Undocumented Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 2/13 | SB 10 | Limiting Food Tax Deduction to Staple Foods | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 19) |
| 2/12 | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
| 2/12 | SB 254 | Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4) |
| 2/12 | SB 254 | Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4) |
| 2/12 | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
| 2/12 | SB 40 | Authorizing Concealed Weapons in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15) |
| 2/11 | SB 216 | Repeal "Guilty but Mentally Ill" Plea | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 19) |
| 2/11 | SB 1125 | Statewide Prohibition of Roadside Animal Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 2/10 | SB 11 | Federal Arms Regulation Exemption | Bill Passed - House (56 - 17) |
| 2/10 | HB 70 | Voting Rights For Certain Felons | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| 2/10 | HB 68 | Repealing Campaign Finance Restrictions | Bill Failed - House (36 - 22) |
| 2/10 | HB 232 | Novelty Lighter Ban | Bill Passed - House (94 - 25) |
| 2/10 | HB 70 | Voting Rights For Certain Felons | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |