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 3, 2010 | CA | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| June 2, 2010 | LA | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (69 - 22) |
| May 24, 2010 | OK | HJR 1056 | Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 2) |
| May 21, 2010 | OK | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 16) |
| May 18, 2010 | OK | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 24) |
| May 18, 2010 | OK | HJR 1056 | Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 10) |
| May 12, 2010 | LA | SB 348 | Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 10, 2010 | TN | SB 63 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| May 10, 2010 | TN | HB 270 | Citizenship Status for Voting and Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| May 8, 2010 | KS | HB 2130 | Amending Seat Belt Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
| May 6, 2010 | LA | HB 863 | Prohibits Hand-Held Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Failed - House (49 - 41) |
| May 3, 2010 | CT | SB 407 | Requiring Motorcycle Training Course | Bill Passed - House (117 - 31) |
| April 29, 2010 | HI | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 20) |
| April 27, 2010 | VT | SR 17 | Requesting Congressional Waiver From Federal Drinking Age Requirement | Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| April 23, 2010 | WI | AB 720 | Statewide Smoking Ban Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 34) |
| April 21, 2010 | IL | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| April 21, 2010 | LA | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| April 20, 2010 | MI | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 33) |
| April 18, 2010 | AK | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| April 17, 2010 | AK | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Bill Passed - House (31 - 8) |
| April 15, 2010 | WI | AB 612 | Limiting Access to 9-1-1 Recordings | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| April 15, 2010 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| April 15, 2010 | WI | AB 106 | Authorizing Sale of Alcohol to 18-20 Year-Olds Under Parental or Spousal Supervision | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| April 9, 2010 | MD | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| April 6, 2010 | ME | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 67) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/03 | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| 6/02 | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (69 - 22) |
| 5/24 | HJR 1056 | Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 2) |
| 5/21 | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 16) |
| 5/18 | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 24) |
| 5/18 | HJR 1056 | Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 10) |
| 5/12 | SB 348 | Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/10 | SB 63 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 5/10 | HB 270 | Citizenship Status for Voting and Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 5/08 | HB 2130 | Amending Seat Belt Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 5/06 | HB 863 | Prohibits Hand-Held Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Failed - House (49 - 41) |
| 5/03 | SB 407 | Requiring Motorcycle Training Course | Bill Passed - House (117 - 31) |
| 4/29 | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 20) |
| 4/27 | SR 17 | Requesting Congressional Waiver From Federal Drinking Age Requirement | Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| 4/23 | AB 720 | Statewide Smoking Ban Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 34) |
| 4/21 | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| 4/21 | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 4/20 | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 33) |
| 4/18 | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| 4/17 | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Bill Passed - House (31 - 8) |
| 4/15 | AB 612 | Limiting Access to 9-1-1 Recordings | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| 4/15 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 4/15 | AB 106 | Authorizing Sale of Alcohol to 18-20 Year-Olds Under Parental or Spousal Supervision | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| 4/09 | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| 4/06 | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 67) |