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 3, 2009 | OH | SB 9 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| March 2, 2009 | KY | SB 79 | Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| March 2, 2009 | CA | SR 7 | Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | NE | LB 5 | Trapping In Rights-of-Way | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | NE | LB 5 | Trapping In Rights-of-Way | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | NM | SB 12 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 25) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | NM | SB 12 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 25) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | SB 44 | Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | SB 141 | Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | SB 44 | Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | GA | SB 23 | Admissibility of Seat Belt Evidence in Court | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 12) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | MT | SB 326 | Medical Marijuana Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | NV | SB 116 | Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | CO | SB 88 | Extending State Employee Health Benefits to Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | SD | SB 195 | Stem Cell Research Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | NJ | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | HI | SB 777 | Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | KS | SB 59 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | NM | SB 77 | Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | GA | SB 42 | Transfer of Authority Over State's Public Defender System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 21) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/03 | SB 9 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 3/02 | SB 79 | Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| 3/02 | SR 7 | Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 2/27 | LB 5 | Trapping In Rights-of-Way | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 2/27 | LB 5 | Trapping In Rights-of-Way | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 2/26 | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| 2/26 | SB 12 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 25) |
| 2/26 | SB 12 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 25) |
| 2/25 | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 2/25 | SB 44 | Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 2/25 | SB 141 | Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
| 2/25 | SB 44 | Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 2/25 | SB 23 | Admissibility of Seat Belt Evidence in Court | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 12) |
| 2/24 | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/24 | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/24 | SB 326 | Medical Marijuana Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 2/24 | SB 116 | Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| 2/24 | SB 88 | Extending State Employee Health Benefits to Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 2/23 | SB 195 | Stem Cell Research Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| 2/23 | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 2/23 | SB 777 | Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3) |
| 2/19 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 2/19 | SB 59 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 2/19 | SB 77 | Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
| 2/19 | SB 42 | Transfer of Authority Over State's Public Defender System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 21) |