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 27, 2009 | MI | SB 585 | Cobo Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| May 22, 2009 | NV | SB 311 | Washoe County Fluoridation | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| May 21, 2009 | NJ | A 1645 | Requiring Qualified Purchasing Agents | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| May 19, 2009 | LA | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (63 - 26) |
| May 14, 2009 | AL | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| April 30, 2009 | AL | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - House (54 - 19) |
| April 29, 2009 | OK | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| April 21, 2009 | AL | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| April 21, 2009 | AL | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| April 15, 2009 | OK | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| April 15, 2009 | IN | HB 1604 | Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| April 15, 2009 | ID | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (28 - 42) |
| April 14, 2009 | TX | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 1605 | Allowing Counties to Impose Retail Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 1744 | Allowing a County Surcharge on the Transient Accommodations Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| April 8, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| April 6, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - House (50 - 8) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (121 - 47) |
| March 26, 2009 | ID | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - House (42 - 36) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 2091 | Formalizing Palimony Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 12, 2009 | TN | SB 83 | "Living" Wage Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| March 12, 2009 | WA | SB 2252 | Shifting Local Tax Revenue | Bill Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/27 | SB 585 | Cobo Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 5/22 | SB 311 | Washoe County Fluoridation | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 5/21 | A 1645 | Requiring Qualified Purchasing Agents | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| 5/19 | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (63 - 26) |
| 5/14 | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 4/30 | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - House (54 - 19) |
| 4/29 | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 4/21 | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| 4/21 | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| 4/15 | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| 4/15 | HB 1604 | Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 4/15 | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (28 - 42) |
| 4/14 | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 4/14 | HB 1605 | Allowing Counties to Impose Retail Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 4/14 | HB 1744 | Allowing a County Surcharge on the Transient Accommodations Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| 4/08 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 4/06 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - House (50 - 8) |
| 4/03 | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| 4/03 | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (121 - 47) |
| 3/26 | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/16 | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - House (42 - 36) |
| 3/16 | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 3/16 | S 2091 | Formalizing Palimony Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/12 | SB 83 | "Living" Wage Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 3/12 | SB 2252 | Shifting Local Tax Revenue | Bill Passed - House (54 - 42) |