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
Jan. 29, 2009 KS SB 23 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Jan. 28, 2009 MT HB 13 State Employee Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
Jan. 28, 2009 OR SB 338 Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Jan. 28, 2009 OR SB 5562 Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Jan. 27, 2009 IA SF 44 Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
Jan. 26, 2009 MO HCR 5 Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31)
Jan. 19, 2009 WY HB 67 Taxing Moist Snuff Tobacco Based on Weight Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
Jan. 15, 2009 CT HB 5095 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
Jan. 14, 2009 FL SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
Jan. 14, 2009 FL SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13)
Jan. 14, 2009 MS HB 364 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - House (81 - 39)
Jan. 14, 2009 CT HB 5095 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (111 - 35)
Jan. 7, 2009 MS HB 290 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget Bill Passed - House (87 - 34)
Dec. 19, 2008 MI SB 861 Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas Bill Passed - House (61 - 34)
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 12 Extending Tax Withholding Requirements to Payments to Independent Contractors Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 28)
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 5 Modifying Transportation Project Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 8 Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 4 Reducing Education Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 2 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Dec. 18, 2008 OH HB 649 Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
Dec. 16, 2008 OH HB 649 Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund Bill Passed - House (54 - 42)
Dec. 15, 2008 NJ S 1599 Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
Dec. 15, 2008 NJ S 1599 Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
Dec. 15, 2008 NJ A 3373 Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
Dec. 15, 2008 NJ A 3373 Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility Bill Passed - House (63 - 10)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/29 SB 23 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
1/28 HB 13 State Employee Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
1/28 SB 338 Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
1/28 SB 5562 Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
1/27 SF 44 Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
1/26 HCR 5 Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31)
1/19 HB 67 Taxing Moist Snuff Tobacco Based on Weight Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
1/15 HB 5095 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
1/14 SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
1/14 SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13)
1/14 HB 364 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - House (81 - 39)
1/14 HB 5095 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (111 - 35)
1/07 HB 290 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget Bill Passed - House (87 - 34)
12/19 SB 861 Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas Bill Passed - House (61 - 34)
12/18 ABx1 12 Extending Tax Withholding Requirements to Payments to Independent Contractors Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 28)
12/18 ABx1 5 Modifying Transportation Project Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
12/18 ABx1 8 Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
12/18 ABx1 4 Reducing Education Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
12/18 ABx1 2 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
12/18 HB 649 Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
12/16 HB 649 Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund Bill Passed - House (54 - 42)
12/15 S 1599 Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
12/15 S 1599 Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
12/15 A 3373 Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
12/15 A 3373 Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility Bill Passed - House (63 - 10)

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