Key Votes

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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
March 9, 2009 UT SB 225 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
March 5, 2009 ID S 1119 Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
March 3, 2009 WA HB 1956 Limiting Local Regulations of Homeless Shelters Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
Feb. 26, 2009 OR HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
Feb. 25, 2009 AR HB 1464 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (67 - 27)
Feb. 17, 2009 OR HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
Feb. 2, 2009 NY A 1686 Reducing the Cap on Vacated Apartment Rent Increases Bill Passed - House (100 - 43)
Jan. 14, 2009 FL SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13)
Jan. 14, 2009 FL SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
Dec. 19, 2008 MI SB 861 Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas Bill Passed - House (61 - 34)
Dec. 10, 2008 MI SB 861 Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
Nov. 24, 2008 NJ A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
Nov. 17, 2008 NJ A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
Nov. 17, 2008 NJ A 3374 Public Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (67 - 10)
Oct. 3, 2008 National HR 6867 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Bill Passed - House (368 - 28)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 840 California Universal Healthcare Agency Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA SB 840 California Universal Healthcare Agency Bill Passed - House (44 - 32)
Aug. 19, 2008 NM SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - House (51 - 16)
Aug. 19, 2008 NM HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
Aug. 18, 2008 NM SB 22 Subsidizing Children's Health Care Bill Passed - House (47 - 19)
Aug. 18, 2008 NM SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
Aug. 16, 2008 NM HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - House (39 - 25)
Aug. 14, 2008 CA AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
July 26, 2008 National S 3186 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/09 SB 225 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
3/05 S 1119 Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
3/03 HB 1956 Limiting Local Regulations of Homeless Shelters Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
2/26 HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
2/25 HB 1464 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (67 - 27)
2/17 HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
2/02 A 1686 Reducing the Cap on Vacated Apartment Rent Increases Bill Passed - House (100 - 43)
1/14 SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13)
1/14 SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
12/19 SB 861 Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas Bill Passed - House (61 - 34)
12/10 SB 861 Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
11/24 A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
11/17 A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
11/17 A 3374 Public Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (67 - 10)
10/03 HR 6867 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Bill Passed - House (368 - 28)
8/31 SB 840 California Universal Healthcare Agency Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
8/29 AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18)
8/29 SB 840 California Universal Healthcare Agency Bill Passed - House (44 - 32)
8/19 SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - House (51 - 16)
8/19 HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
8/18 SB 22 Subsidizing Children's Health Care Bill Passed - House (47 - 19)
8/18 SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
8/16 HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - House (39 - 25)
8/14 AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
7/26 S 3186 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35)

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