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. 5, 2009 | OR | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | AR | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - House (36 - 34) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | OR | HB 2157 | Severing the Federal and State Income Tax Connection | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | NH | HB 30 | Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Reductions | Bill Passed - House (321 - 54) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | MT | HB 157 | Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | NY | S 249-A | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (104 - 42) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | NY | A 163-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (102 - 44) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | UT | HB 3 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (65 - 9) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | WY | HB 87 | Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction | Bill Failed - House (24 - 36) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | ND | HB 1539 | Sales Tax Exemption for Purchase of "Big-Three" Cars | Bill Failed - House (29 - 64) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | UT | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 17) |
| Jan. 31, 2009 | AZ | SB 1001 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (34 - 22) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | GA | HB 143 | Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization | Bill Passed - House (117 - 55) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | IA | SF 44 | Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas | Bill Passed - House (55 - 37) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | MT | HB 13 | State Employee Compensation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| 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. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| 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. 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 | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| Dec. 15, 2008 | NJ | A 3373 | Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| Dec. 11, 2008 | MI | HB 4141 | Expanding the Use of School Sinking Funds | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
| Dec. 10, 2008 | OH | HB 648 | Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information | Bill Passed - House (69 - 26) |
| Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 4090 | Expanding Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 50) |
| Nov. 17, 2008 | NJ | A 3459 | Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| Nov. 17, 2008 | NJ | A 3294 | Capital Investment and Employment Grants | Bill Passed - House (56 - 22) |
| Nov. 17, 2008 | NJ | A 3374 | Public Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 10) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | H Amdt 11 to H 5300 | Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. Funding | Amendment Tabled - House (66 - 50) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | H Amdt 20 to H 5300 | Repealing Property Tax Exemption | Amendment Tabled - House (98 - 17) |
| Sept. 19, 2008 | CA | SBx1 28 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (43 - 30) |
| Sept. 16, 2008 | CA | AB 1781 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (61 - 11) |
| Sept. 16, 2008 | CA | AB 1452 | Suspending Carryback and Net Operating Loss Deductions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21) |
| Sept. 16, 2008 | CA | SCA 12 | State Lottery Amendments | Joint Resolution Passed - House (63 - 14) |
| Sept. 9, 2008 | CA | SB 1087 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Failed - House (27 - 45) |
| Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | AB 2321 | Metro Sales Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| Aug. 30, 2008 | CA | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 32) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | NM | SB 24 | Tax Rebate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | NY | A 11838 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (118 - 24) |
| Aug. 18, 2008 | NM | SB 22 | Subsidizing Children's Health Care | Bill Passed - House (47 - 19) |
| Aug. 17, 2008 | CA | AB 1781 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Rejected - House (45 - 30) |
| Aug. 17, 2008 | NM | HB 5 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/05 | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| 2/05 | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| 2/04 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - House (36 - 34) |
| 2/04 | HB 2157 | Severing the Federal and State Income Tax Connection | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| 2/04 | HB 30 | Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Reductions | Bill Passed - House (321 - 54) |
| 2/03 | HB 157 | Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| 2/03 | S 249-A | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (104 - 42) |
| 2/03 | A 163-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (102 - 44) |
| 2/02 | HB 3 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (65 - 9) |
| 2/02 | HB 87 | Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction | Bill Failed - House (24 - 36) |
| 2/02 | HB 1539 | Sales Tax Exemption for Purchase of "Big-Three" Cars | Bill Failed - House (29 - 64) |
| 2/02 | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 17) |
| 1/31 | SB 1001 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (34 - 22) |
| 1/30 | HB 143 | Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization | Bill Passed - House (117 - 55) |
| 1/29 | SF 44 | Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas | Bill Passed - House (55 - 37) |
| 1/28 | HB 13 | State Employee Compensation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| 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) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| 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) |
| 12/16 | HB 649 | Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund | Bill Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| 12/15 | S 1599 | Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| 12/15 | A 3373 | Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| 12/11 | HB 4141 | Expanding the Use of School Sinking Funds | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
| 12/10 | HB 648 | Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information | Bill Passed - House (69 - 26) |
| 12/04 | HB 4090 | Expanding Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 50) |
| 11/17 | A 3459 | Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| 11/17 | A 3294 | Capital Investment and Employment Grants | Bill Passed - House (56 - 22) |
| 11/17 | A 3374 | Public Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 10) |
| 10/21 | H Amdt 11 to H 5300 | Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. Funding | Amendment Tabled - House (66 - 50) |
| 10/21 | H Amdt 20 to H 5300 | Repealing Property Tax Exemption | Amendment Tabled - House (98 - 17) |
| 9/19 | SBx1 28 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (43 - 30) |
| 9/16 | AB 1781 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (61 - 11) |
| 9/16 | AB 1452 | Suspending Carryback and Net Operating Loss Deductions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21) |
| 9/16 | SCA 12 | State Lottery Amendments | Joint Resolution Passed - House (63 - 14) |
| 9/09 | SB 1087 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Failed - House (27 - 45) |
| 8/31 | AB 2321 | Metro Sales Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| 8/31 | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| 8/30 | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 32) |
| 8/29 | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18) |
| 8/29 | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 8/19 | SB 24 | Tax Rebate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| 8/19 | A 11838 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (118 - 24) |
| 8/18 | SB 22 | Subsidizing Children's Health Care | Bill Passed - House (47 - 19) |
| 8/17 | AB 1781 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Rejected - House (45 - 30) |
| 8/17 | HB 5 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |