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
April 27, 2009 MN Ban on State Funds for Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 39)
April 3, 2009 ND HB 1572 Legislative Intent With Regards to the Legal Definition of Life Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 29)
April 3, 2009 ND HB 1572 Legislative Intent With Regards to the Legal Definition of Life Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 29)
March 2, 2009 KY SB 79 Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
March 2, 2009 KY SB 79 Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2009 MT SB 374 Parental Notification for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Feb. 23, 2009 HI SB 777 Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3)
Feb. 20, 2009 MT SB 46 Amending Constitutional Right to Privacy with Regards to Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
Feb. 10, 2009 IN SB 90 Pre-Abortion Notification Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
July 16, 2008 National HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16)
June 16, 2008 AZ SB 1048 Prohibiting Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 6)
June 16, 2008 AZ SB 1048 Prohibiting Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 6)
May 13, 2008 MN SF 2965 Surrogate Mother Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 22)
April 30, 2008 KS SB 389 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments Veto Override Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
April 30, 2008 KS SB 389 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments Veto Override Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
April 30, 2008 FL SB 2400 Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirement Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
April 30, 2008 FL SB 2400 Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirement Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
April 17, 2008 IA S 5377 to SF 2425 Pregnancy Counseling and Support Services Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 27)
April 15, 2008 LA SB 144 Castration of Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3)
March 31, 2008 IA HF 2145 Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
March 25, 2008 AZ HB 2769 Increasing Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
March 25, 2008 AZ HB 2263 Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
March 25, 2008 AZ HB 2263 Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
March 25, 2008 AZ HB 2769 Increasing Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
March 20, 2008 NH SA 1051 to SB 527 Parental Notification for Underage Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/27 Ban on State Funds for Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 39)
4/03 HB 1572 Legislative Intent With Regards to the Legal Definition of Life Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 29)
4/03 HB 1572 Legislative Intent With Regards to the Legal Definition of Life Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 29)
3/02 SB 79 Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
3/02 SB 79 Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
2/25 SB 374 Parental Notification for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
2/23 SB 777 Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3)
2/20 SB 46 Amending Constitutional Right to Privacy with Regards to Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
2/10 SB 90 Pre-Abortion Notification Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
7/16 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16)
6/16 SB 1048 Prohibiting Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 6)
6/16 SB 1048 Prohibiting Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 6)
5/13 SF 2965 Surrogate Mother Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 22)
4/30 SB 389 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments Veto Override Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
4/30 SB 389 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments Veto Override Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
4/30 SB 2400 Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirement Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
4/30 SB 2400 Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Requirement Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
4/17 S 5377 to SF 2425 Pregnancy Counseling and Support Services Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 27)
4/15 SB 144 Castration of Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3)
3/31 HF 2145 Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
3/25 HB 2769 Increasing Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
3/25 HB 2263 Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
3/25 HB 2263 Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
3/25 HB 2769 Increasing Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
3/20 SA 1051 to SB 527 Parental Notification for Underage Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 15)

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