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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 15, 2009 | LA | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| June 4, 2009 | ME | LD 977 | Repealing School District Consolidation | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Rejected - Senate (16 - 19) |
| June 3, 2009 | NY | A 8501 | Government Consolidation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 16) |
| June 1, 2009 | NV | SB 52 | New Standards for Drivers Licenses and Identification Cards | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| May 31, 2009 | NV | AB 543 | Property Tax Reappropriation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| May 27, 2009 | MI | SB 587 | Cobo Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 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 14, 2009 | AL | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 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 | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| April 15, 2009 | IN | HB 1604 | Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 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 1744 | Allowing a County Surcharge on the Transient Accommodations Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 1605 | Allowing Counties to Impose Retail Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| April 8, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| March 26, 2009 | ID | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 2091 | Formalizing Palimony Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| March 12, 2009 | TN | SB 83 | "Living" Wage Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| March 10, 2009 | OK | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 9, 2009 | UT | SB 241 | Instructional Spending Requirements for School Districts | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 17) |
| March 3, 2009 | UT | SB 29 | Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | VT | S 34 | Presidential Election by National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 10) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | IN | SB 512 | Eliminating Township Boards in Counties Without a Consolidated City | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | OR | HB 2157 | Severing the Federal and State Income Tax Connection | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | OH | SB 35 | State Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law | (21 - 11) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | IA | SF 44 | Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Aug. 8, 2008 | NY | A 11258 | Mandatory Cigarette Taxation | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 4) |
| July 17, 2008 | NC | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
| June 11, 2008 | CT | SB 1001 | Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| June 10, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1764 | Certification of Local Fire Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| May 28, 2008 | MI | Anderson Amendment: Increase Revenue Sharing Grants | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 18) | |
| May 16, 2008 | MO | HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 | Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 16) |
| May 6, 2008 | AZ | HB 2677 | Real ID | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| May 1, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| April 29, 2008 | AZ | HB 2557 | Fine Arts and Physical Education in School | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| April 29, 2008 | TN | SB 3042 | Open Container Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/15 | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 6/04 | LD 977 | Repealing School District Consolidation | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Rejected - Senate (16 - 19) |
| 6/03 | A 8501 | Government Consolidation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 16) |
| 6/01 | SB 52 | New Standards for Drivers Licenses and Identification Cards | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| 5/31 | AB 543 | Property Tax Reappropriation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| 5/27 | SB 587 | Cobo Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 5/27 | SB 585 | Cobo Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 5/22 | SB 311 | Washoe County Fluoridation | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 5/14 | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 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 | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
| 4/15 | HB 1604 | Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 4/14 | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 4/14 | HB 1744 | Allowing a County Surcharge on the Transient Accommodations Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| 4/14 | HB 1605 | Allowing Counties to Impose Retail Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 4/08 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 4/03 | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| 3/26 | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/16 | S 2091 | Formalizing Palimony Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/16 | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 3/12 | SB 83 | "Living" Wage Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 3/10 | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/09 | SB 241 | Instructional Spending Requirements for School Districts | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 17) |
| 3/03 | SB 29 | Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 2/27 | S 34 | Presidential Election by National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 10) |
| 2/26 | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| 2/24 | SB 512 | Eliminating Township Boards in Counties Without a Consolidated City | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 2/23 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 2/18 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 2/12 | HB 2157 | Severing the Federal and State Income Tax Connection | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 2/10 | SB 35 | State Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law | (21 - 11) |
| 2/02 | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 1/27 | SF 44 | Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 8/08 | A 11258 | Mandatory Cigarette Taxation | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 4) |
| 7/17 | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
| 6/11 | SB 1001 | Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 6/10 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| 5/29 | SB 1764 | Certification of Local Fire Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 5/28 | Anderson Amendment: Increase Revenue Sharing Grants | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 18) | |
| 5/16 | HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 | Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 5/13 | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 16) |
| 5/06 | HB 2677 | Real ID | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 5/01 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HB 2557 | Fine Arts and Physical Education in School | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| 4/29 | SB 3042 | Open Container Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 4/23 | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| 4/23 | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 4/22 | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| 4/22 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |