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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 20, 2010 | MI | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 33) |
| April 20, 2010 | WI | SB 484 | BadgerCare Plus Basic Health Plan | Bill Passed - House (50 - 47) |
| April 20, 2010 | MO | SB 943 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| April 19, 2010 | FL | HB 7223 | HMO Plans for Medicaid Coverage | Bill Passed - House (80 - 34) |
| April 15, 2010 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| April 15, 2010 | CO | SB 94 | State Funding for Works of Art in Capital Construction Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| April 15, 2010 | WI | SB 437 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 15, 2010 | FL | SB 622 | Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| April 15, 2010 | WI | SB 434 | Legalizing Sale of Unpasteurized Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| April 15, 2010 | WI | SB 434 | Legalizing Sale of Unpasteurized Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| April 14, 2010 | HI | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 7) |
| April 14, 2010 | HI | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 11) |
| April 14, 2010 | AL | HB 105 | Required Physical Education | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
| April 14, 2010 | SC | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| April 14, 2010 | MA | H 4591 | Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (120 - 37) |
| April 14, 2010 | LA | HB 410 | School Board Term Limits | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| April 14, 2010 | LA | Amdt 2565 | Limiting the Number of Terms School Board Members May Serve | Amendment Rejected - House (30 - 65) |
| April 13, 2010 | NE | LB 999 | Temporary Prohibition on New Hospital Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
| April 12, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 44) |
| April 12, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| April 12, 2010 | MD | SB 277 | Modifies the Solar Energy Portfolio Standard | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 12, 2010 | MD | SB 590 | Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| April 12, 2010 | CO | SB 94 | State Funding for Works of Art in Capital Construction Projects | Bill Passed - House (42 - 21) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| April 10, 2010 | MD | SB 778 | Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters | Bill Passed - House (95 - 42) |
| April 10, 2010 | MD | SB 627 | Establishes Medical Marijuana Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| April 10, 2010 | MD | SB 277 | Modifies the Solar Energy Portfolio Standard | Bill Passed - House (109 - 31) |
| April 9, 2010 | MD | SB 590 | Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board | Bill Passed - House (103 - 35) |
| April 9, 2010 | FL | SB 6 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| April 9, 2010 | MD | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| April 9, 2010 | NE | LB 780 | PTSD Workers' Compensation Benefits for First Responders | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 5) |
| April 7, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| April 7, 2010 | MD | HB 825 | Increase in Motor Vehicle Liability Payment | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 7, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Passed - House (100 - 48) |
| April 6, 2010 | NE | Amdt 2454 | Limiting First Responder PTSD Death Benefits to 1 Year | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 27) |
| April 6, 2010 | NE | Amdt 2455 | Limiting First Responder PTSD Benefits to 26 Weeks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 30) |
| April 5, 2010 | CO | HB 1288 | Authorizing Real Estate Brokers to File Liens for Unpaid Commissions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17) |
| April 1, 2010 | KY | HB 415 | Prohibiting Text-Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 10) |
| April 1, 2010 | CO | HB 1180 | Performance-Based Incentive for Film Production Activities | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 18) |
| April 1, 2010 | GA | HB 307 | Hospital Medicaid Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 1, 2010 | KY | HB 109 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18) |
| April 1, 2010 | CO | HB 1387 | Highway User Tax Fund Diversion to Licensing Services Fund | Bill Passed - House (38 - 27) |
| April 1, 2010 | AL | SB 233 | Prohibiting Individual Health Care Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| March 31, 2010 | CO | HB 1365 | Utility Emission Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 12) |
| March 31, 2010 | CO | HB 1365 | Utility Emission Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| March 31, 2010 | AZ | SB 1001 | Authorizing Governor to Challenge Federal Individual Health Care Mandate | Bill Passed - House (34 - 24) |
| March 31, 2010 | AZ | SB 1001 | Authorizing Governor to Challenge Federal Individual Health Care Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| March 30, 2010 | GA | SB 67 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| March 30, 2010 | NE | LB 1102 | Legalizing "Horse Racing Machines" | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (30 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/20 | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 33) |
| 4/20 | SB 484 | BadgerCare Plus Basic Health Plan | Bill Passed - House (50 - 47) |
| 4/20 | SB 943 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 4/19 | HB 7223 | HMO Plans for Medicaid Coverage | Bill Passed - House (80 - 34) |
| 4/15 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 4/15 | SB 94 | State Funding for Works of Art in Capital Construction Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 4/15 | SB 437 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/15 | SB 622 | Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| 4/15 | SB 434 | Legalizing Sale of Unpasteurized Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 4/15 | SB 434 | Legalizing Sale of Unpasteurized Milk | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 4/14 | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 7) |
| 4/14 | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 11) |
| 4/14 | HB 105 | Required Physical Education | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
| 4/14 | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| 4/14 | H 4591 | Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (120 - 37) |
| 4/14 | HB 410 | School Board Term Limits | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| 4/14 | Amdt 2565 | Limiting the Number of Terms School Board Members May Serve | Amendment Rejected - House (30 - 65) |
| 4/13 | LB 999 | Temporary Prohibition on New Hospital Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
| 4/12 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 44) |
| 4/12 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 4/12 | SB 277 | Modifies the Solar Energy Portfolio Standard | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/12 | SB 590 | Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| 4/12 | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 4/12 | SB 94 | State Funding for Works of Art in Capital Construction Projects | Bill Passed - House (42 - 21) |
| 4/12 | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| 4/10 | SB 778 | Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters | Bill Passed - House (95 - 42) |
| 4/10 | SB 627 | Establishes Medical Marijuana Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| 4/10 | SB 277 | Modifies the Solar Energy Portfolio Standard | Bill Passed - House (109 - 31) |
| 4/09 | SB 590 | Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board | Bill Passed - House (103 - 35) |
| 4/09 | SB 6 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| 4/09 | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| 4/09 | LB 780 | PTSD Workers' Compensation Benefits for First Responders | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 5) |
| 4/07 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 4/07 | HB 825 | Increase in Motor Vehicle Liability Payment | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 4/07 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Passed - House (100 - 48) |
| 4/06 | Amdt 2454 | Limiting First Responder PTSD Death Benefits to 1 Year | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 27) |
| 4/06 | Amdt 2455 | Limiting First Responder PTSD Benefits to 26 Weeks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 30) |
| 4/05 | HB 1288 | Authorizing Real Estate Brokers to File Liens for Unpaid Commissions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17) |
| 4/01 | HB 415 | Prohibiting Text-Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 10) |
| 4/01 | HB 1180 | Performance-Based Incentive for Film Production Activities | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 18) |
| 4/01 | HB 307 | Hospital Medicaid Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/01 | HB 109 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18) |
| 4/01 | HB 1387 | Highway User Tax Fund Diversion to Licensing Services Fund | Bill Passed - House (38 - 27) |
| 4/01 | SB 233 | Prohibiting Individual Health Care Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 3/31 | HB 1365 | Utility Emission Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 12) |
| 3/31 | HB 1365 | Utility Emission Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 3/31 | SB 1001 | Authorizing Governor to Challenge Federal Individual Health Care Mandate | Bill Passed - House (34 - 24) |
| 3/31 | SB 1001 | Authorizing Governor to Challenge Federal Individual Health Care Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 3/30 | SB 67 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 3/30 | LB 1102 | Legalizing "Horse Racing Machines" | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (30 - 13) |