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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 26, 2009 | CO | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | IA | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1607 | West Lake Commuter Rail Project | Bill Passed - House (68 - 31) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 1167 | Increasing the Fees for Personalized License Plates | Bill Failed - House (41 - 57) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1729 | Gaming Facility Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | CT | HB 6602 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | CO | HB 1001 | Tax Credit for Job Creation | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | NV | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - House (35 - 7) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | IN | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 41) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | GA | SB 120 | Repeal of Certain MARTA Financial Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | IN | SB 512 | Eliminating Township Boards in Counties Without a Consolidated City | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | ID | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | IN | HB 1215 | Increasing Traffic Fines to Fund Trauma Centers | Bill Passed - House (53 - 42) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | IA | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| Feb. 20, 2009 | VT | Ainsworth Amdt | Legislative Pay Cut | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 88) |
| Feb. 20, 2009 | NE | LB 85 | Bond Revenue to Fund Streets and Bridges | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | SBx3 1 | 2009-2010 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | ABx3 3 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | ND | HB 1400 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 16) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | SBx3 7 | Transportation Financing Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | WY | HB 67 | Taxing Moist Snuff Tobacco Based on Weight | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | WI | SB 62 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | WI | SB 62 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | SD | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | ND | HB 1324 | Income Tax Rebates and Rate Reduction | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | ND | HB 1268 | Sales Tax Exemption on Clothing Purchases | Bill Passed - House (66 - 26) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | ND | HB 1255 | Corporate Tax Rate Reduction | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | ND | HB 1279 | Income Tax Rate Reduction | Bill Failed - House (47 - 46) |
| Feb. 16, 2009 | ND | HB 1431 | Increasing Fines for Certain Traffic Violations | Bill Failed - House (35 - 57) |
| Feb. 13, 2009 | ND | SB 2184 | Repeals Auto Rebate Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2009 | KY | HB 144 | Alcohol and Tobacco Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | OR | HB 2157 | Severing the Federal and State Income Tax Connection | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 51) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | AR | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | GA | HB 233 | Two-Year Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Bill Passed - House (110 - 63) |
| Feb. 11, 2009 | KY | HB 144 | Alcohol and Tobacco Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (66 - 34) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | IN | HB 1656 | Shifting Federal Transportation Funding to Counties and Localities | Bill Passed - House (88 - 11) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | IN | HB 1723 | 2009-2010 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | WY | HB 240 | Pay Raise for Certain Elected Officials | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | WY | HB 170 | State Lottery for Scholarship Funding | Bill Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | ND | SB 2238 | Higher Education Tuition Increase Limits | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 22) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | ND | HB 1508 | State-Sponsored Children's Savings Accounts | Bill Failed - House (28 - 64) |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | GA | HB 143 | Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 24) |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | GA | SB 83 | Expanding Homestead Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | ND | HB 1557 | Even-Numbered Year Budget Adjustment Legislative Sessions | Bill Failed - House (33 - 61) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 48) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/26 | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| 2/26 | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 2/25 | HB 1607 | West Lake Commuter Rail Project | Bill Passed - House (68 - 31) |
| 2/25 | SB 1167 | Increasing the Fees for Personalized License Plates | Bill Failed - House (41 - 57) |
| 2/25 | HB 1729 | Gaming Facility Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| 2/25 | HB 6602 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 2/25 | HB 1001 | Tax Credit for Job Creation | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 2/24 | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - House (35 - 7) |
| 2/24 | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 41) |
| 2/24 | SB 120 | Repeal of Certain MARTA Financial Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| 2/24 | SB 512 | Eliminating Township Boards in Counties Without a Consolidated City | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 2/24 | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
| 2/24 | HB 1215 | Increasing Traffic Fines to Fund Trauma Centers | Bill Passed - House (53 - 42) |
| 2/24 | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 2/23 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 2/20 | Ainsworth Amdt | Legislative Pay Cut | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 88) |
| 2/20 | LB 85 | Bond Revenue to Fund Streets and Bridges | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| 2/19 | SBx3 1 | 2009-2010 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/19 | ABx3 3 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/19 | HB 1400 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 16) |
| 2/19 | SBx3 7 | Transportation Financing Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/18 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 2/18 | HB 67 | Taxing Moist Snuff Tobacco Based on Weight | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 2/18 | SB 62 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 2/18 | SB 62 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/17 | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/17 | HB 1324 | Income Tax Rebates and Rate Reduction | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| 2/17 | HB 1268 | Sales Tax Exemption on Clothing Purchases | Bill Passed - House (66 - 26) |
| 2/17 | HB 1255 | Corporate Tax Rate Reduction | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| 2/17 | HB 1279 | Income Tax Rate Reduction | Bill Failed - House (47 - 46) |
| 2/16 | HB 1431 | Increasing Fines for Certain Traffic Violations | Bill Failed - House (35 - 57) |
| 2/13 | SB 2184 | Repeals Auto Rebate Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6) |
| 2/13 | HB 144 | Alcohol and Tobacco Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 2/12 | HB 2157 | Severing the Federal and State Income Tax Connection | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 2/12 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 51) |
| 2/12 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 2/12 | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 2/12 | HB 233 | Two-Year Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Bill Passed - House (110 - 63) |
| 2/11 | HB 144 | Alcohol and Tobacco Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (66 - 34) |
| 2/10 | HB 1656 | Shifting Federal Transportation Funding to Counties and Localities | Bill Passed - House (88 - 11) |
| 2/10 | HB 1723 | 2009-2010 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 2/09 | HB 240 | Pay Raise for Certain Elected Officials | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| 2/09 | HB 170 | State Lottery for Scholarship Funding | Bill Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| 2/09 | SB 2238 | Higher Education Tuition Increase Limits | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 22) |
| 2/09 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 2/06 | HB 1508 | State-Sponsored Children's Savings Accounts | Bill Failed - House (28 - 64) |
| 2/06 | HB 143 | Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 24) |
| 2/06 | SB 83 | Expanding Homestead Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
| 2/05 | HB 1557 | Even-Numbered Year Budget Adjustment Legislative Sessions | Bill Failed - House (33 - 61) |
| 2/05 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 48) |