Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
May 4, 2009 VT Transportation Amendment to S 67 Selective Service Registration by Drivers License Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 68)
May 4, 2009 TN HB 959 Close Handgun Permit Records Bill Passed - House (83 - 12)
May 4, 2009 OR HB 2821 Employee Vacation Use Amendments Bill Passed - House (34 - 23)
May 4, 2009 TN HB 959 Close Handgun Permit Records Bill Passed - House (83 - 12)
May 4, 2009 CO HB 1057 Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26)
May 2, 2009 ND SB 2162 Child Care Background Checks Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 20)
April 29, 2009 National HR 1913 Hate Crimes Expansion Bill Passed - House (249 - 175)
April 29, 2009 WI SB 20 Discriminatory Pay Compensation Bill Passed - House (51 - 47)
April 29, 2009 National HR 1913 Hate Crimes Expansion Bill Passed - House (249 - 175)
April 28, 2009 MO Amdt 1 Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43)
April 28, 2009 MO Amdt 1 Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43)
April 28, 2009 OR HB 2377 Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - House (38 - 22)
April 28, 2009 CO SB 88 Extending Health Benefits to Domestic Partners of State Employees Bill Passed - House (34 - 30)
April 28, 2009 NY A 6468 Microstamping Requirement for Semiautomatic Pistols Bill Passed - House (94 - 47)
April 28, 2009 NY A 801 Renewal Requirement for Pistol and Revolver Licenses Bill Passed - House (87 - 58)
April 27, 2009 TN SB 393 Prohibiting Texting While Driving Bill Passed - House (67 - 24)
April 24, 2009 ND HB 1478 Children's Health Insurance Program Eligibility Expansion Conference Report Rejected - House (41 - 47)
April 23, 2009 OK HB 1326 Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research Veto Override Passed - House (68 - 26)
April 23, 2009 AL HB 533 Hate Crime Law Expansion Bill Passed - House (46 - 41)
April 23, 2009 AL HB 533 Hate Crime Law Expansion Bill Passed - House (46 - 41)
April 23, 2009 AL HB 533 Hate Crime Law Expansion Bill Passed - House (46 - 41)
April 23, 2009 WI SB 27 Requires Insurance Coverage for Children's Hearing Aid Treatments Bill Passed - House (80 - 16)
April 23, 2009 MN SF 2082 2010-2011 Budget Bill Passed - House (69 - 62)
April 22, 2009 PA A771 Requiring Hands Free Devices for Cell Phones in Cars Amendment Rejected - House (95 - 100)
April 22, 2009 WA HB 1517 Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/04 Transportation Amendment to S 67 Selective Service Registration by Drivers License Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 68)
5/04 HB 959 Close Handgun Permit Records Bill Passed - House (83 - 12)
5/04 HB 2821 Employee Vacation Use Amendments Bill Passed - House (34 - 23)
5/04 HB 959 Close Handgun Permit Records Bill Passed - House (83 - 12)
5/04 HB 1057 Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26)
5/02 SB 2162 Child Care Background Checks Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 20)
4/29 HR 1913 Hate Crimes Expansion Bill Passed - House (249 - 175)
4/29 SB 20 Discriminatory Pay Compensation Bill Passed - House (51 - 47)
4/29 HR 1913 Hate Crimes Expansion Bill Passed - House (249 - 175)
4/28 Amdt 1 Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43)
4/28 Amdt 1 Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43)
4/28 HB 2377 Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - House (38 - 22)
4/28 SB 88 Extending Health Benefits to Domestic Partners of State Employees Bill Passed - House (34 - 30)
4/28 A 6468 Microstamping Requirement for Semiautomatic Pistols Bill Passed - House (94 - 47)
4/28 A 801 Renewal Requirement for Pistol and Revolver Licenses Bill Passed - House (87 - 58)
4/27 SB 393 Prohibiting Texting While Driving Bill Passed - House (67 - 24)
4/24 HB 1478 Children's Health Insurance Program Eligibility Expansion Conference Report Rejected - House (41 - 47)
4/23 HB 1326 Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research Veto Override Passed - House (68 - 26)
4/23 HB 533 Hate Crime Law Expansion Bill Passed - House (46 - 41)
4/23 HB 533 Hate Crime Law Expansion Bill Passed - House (46 - 41)
4/23 HB 533 Hate Crime Law Expansion Bill Passed - House (46 - 41)
4/23 SB 27 Requires Insurance Coverage for Children's Hearing Aid Treatments Bill Passed - House (80 - 16)
4/23 SF 2082 2010-2011 Budget Bill Passed - House (69 - 62)
4/22 A771 Requiring Hands Free Devices for Cell Phones in Cars Amendment Rejected - House (95 - 100)
4/22 HB 1517 Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44)

arrow_upward