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. 24, 2009 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | NV | SB 116 | Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | GA | SB 120 | Repeal of Certain MARTA Financial Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| Feb. 20, 2009 | NE | LB 85 | Bond Revenue to Fund Streets and Bridges | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | ABx3 3 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | KS | SB 59 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | SBx3 7 | Transportation Financing Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SC | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| Feb. 13, 2009 | ND | SB 2184 | Repeals Auto Rebate Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | MT | SB 237 | Primary Seatbelt Enforcement | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | VA | SB 1161 | Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | CO | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | SD | SB 79 | Primary Seat Belt Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | WY | SF 65 | Ban on Texting While Driving | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| Dec. 18, 2008 | CA | ABx1 2 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Dec. 18, 2008 | CA | ABx1 5 | Modifying Transportation Project Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 2095 | Amtrak Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Aug. 30, 2008 | CA | SB 375 | Global Warming and Land Use Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 2321 | Metro Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Aug. 21, 2008 | CA | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| Aug. 20, 2008 | CA | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| July 17, 2008 | NC | HB 2340 | Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| July 16, 2008 | NC | SB 1695 | Tractor Trailer Length | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 1) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/24 | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/24 | SB 116 | Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| 2/24 | SB 120 | Repeal of Certain MARTA Financial Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| 2/20 | LB 85 | Bond Revenue to Fund Streets and Bridges | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| 2/19 | ABx3 3 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/19 | SB 59 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 2/19 | SBx3 7 | Transportation Financing Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/18 | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| 2/13 | SB 2184 | Repeals Auto Rebate Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6) |
| 2/05 | SB 237 | Primary Seatbelt Enforcement | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25) |
| 2/05 | SB 1161 | Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 2/05 | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/03 | SB 79 | Primary Seat Belt Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 1/28 | SF 65 | Ban on Texting While Driving | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| 12/18 | ABx1 2 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 12/18 | ABx1 5 | Modifying Transportation Project Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 10/01 | HR 2095 | Amtrak Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| 8/31 | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 8/30 | SB 375 | Global Warming and Land Use Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 8/29 | AB 2321 | Metro Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 8/21 | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 8/20 | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 8/07 | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 7/17 | HB 2340 | Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| 7/16 | SB 1695 | Tractor Trailer Length | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 1) |