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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| May 13, 2009 | WI | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| May 12, 2009 | National | S Amdt 1067 | Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29) |
| May 12, 2009 | DE | HB 100 | Reestablishing a Sports Lottery | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 2) |
| May 11, 2009 | TX | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 11, 2009 | NC | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| May 11, 2009 | TX | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 8, 2009 | FL | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 9) |
| May 6, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| May 6, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| May 6, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| May 6, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| May 5, 2009 | OR | SB 786 | Workplace Religious Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 28) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| April 30, 2009 | CO | SB 296 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 648 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 28, 2009 | WI | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 27, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/14 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 5/14 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 5/13 | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 1067 | Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29) |
| 5/12 | HB 100 | Reestablishing a Sports Lottery | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 2) |
| 5/11 | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 5/11 | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 5/11 | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 5/08 | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 5/06 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 5/06 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 5/06 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 5/06 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 5/05 | SB 786 | Workplace Religious Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 5/04 | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 28) |
| 5/04 | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| 5/04 | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| 4/30 | SB 296 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 4/29 | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HB 648 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 4/29 | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/28 | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/27 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |