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. 9, 2010 | NM | HB 53 | Financial Literacy as School Math Requirement | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | TN | SB 1092 | Banning Non-Elected Boards from Requiring Nutrition Information on Menus | Veto Override Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | AZ | SB 1004 | Renewal of the Lottery | Bill Passed - House (40 - 17) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | VA | HB 756 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| Feb. 4, 2010 | MA | H 4466 | Expanding Driving Regulations | Bill Passed - House (146 - 9) |
| Feb. 4, 2010 | KY | HB 43 | Ban on Texting and Underage Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
| Feb. 3, 2010 | MS | HB 959 | Sale of State Plane | Bill Passed - House (65 - 55) |
| Feb. 3, 2010 | CO | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| Feb. 2, 2010 | IN | HB 1131 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (73 - 26) |
| Feb. 2, 2010 | AZ | SB 1004 | Renewal of the Lottery | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| Feb. 2, 2010 | IN | SB 150 | School Year Beginning and Ending Limitations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| Feb. 2, 2010 | IN | HB 1367 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Feb. 1, 2010 | VA | SB 283 | Prohibiting Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 1, 2010 | CO | HB 1195 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| Feb. 1, 2010 | CO | HB 1196 | Repealing Income Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (38 - 27) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | National | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | TN | SB 1092 | Prohibiting Non-Elected Boards from Requiring Nutrition Information on Menus | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | WI | AB 458 | Sex Education Curriculum Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | WI | AB 458 | Sex Education Curriculum Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | WI | SB 415 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | DE | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | CA | SB 810 | Statewide Single Payer Health Care System | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | MA | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | MA | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
| Jan. 27, 2010 | OH | SJR 8 | Casino Location Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| Jan. 27, 2010 | VA | SB 9 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Jan. 27, 2010 | VT | H 485 | Property Tax and Land Use Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (104 - 34) |
| Jan. 26, 2010 | OH | Schiavoni Amdt | Casino Location Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Jan. 25, 2010 | KY | SB 3 | Omnibus Constitutional Amendment | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 0) |
| Jan. 21, 2010 | DE | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - House (27 - 5) |
| Jan. 20, 2010 | OH | HB 166 | Authorizing Regional Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - House (72 - 26) |
| Jan. 20, 2010 | WA | HB 2561 | Energy Efficiency Improvement Bonds | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| Jan. 20, 2010 | KY | SB 26 | Allowing Nuclear Power Facility Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| Jan. 19, 2010 | IA | HF 2030 | School District Budget Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Jan. 19, 2010 | IA | HF 2030 | School District Budget Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Jan. 19, 2010 | MO | HCR 18 | Statement of Opposition to Federal Health Care Proposal | Joint Resolution Passed - House (111 - 46) |
| Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47) |
| Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | IL | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | IA | SF 2033 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | CA | SB 880 | Requiring Snow Sport Helmets for Minors | |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | CA | SB 880 | Requiring Snow Sport Helmets for Minors | |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IL | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 37) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | S 2905 | Requiring Chain Restaurants to Post Nutrition Information | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (48 - 14) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | S 2905 | Requiring Chain Restaurants to Post Nutrition Information | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | A 2029 | Chiropractic Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | A 4378 | Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/09 | HB 53 | Financial Literacy as School Math Requirement | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| 2/08 | SB 1092 | Banning Non-Elected Boards from Requiring Nutrition Information on Menus | Veto Override Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| 2/08 | SB 1004 | Renewal of the Lottery | Bill Passed - House (40 - 17) |
| 2/08 | HB 756 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| 2/04 | H 4466 | Expanding Driving Regulations | Bill Passed - House (146 - 9) |
| 2/04 | HB 43 | Ban on Texting and Underage Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
| 2/03 | HB 959 | Sale of State Plane | Bill Passed - House (65 - 55) |
| 2/03 | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| 2/02 | HB 1131 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (73 - 26) |
| 2/02 | SB 1004 | Renewal of the Lottery | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 2/02 | SB 150 | School Year Beginning and Ending Limitations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 2/02 | HB 1367 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 2/01 | SB 283 | Prohibiting Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 2/01 | HB 1195 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| 2/01 | HB 1196 | Repealing Income Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (38 - 27) |
| 1/28 | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
| 1/28 | SB 1092 | Prohibiting Non-Elected Boards from Requiring Nutrition Information on Menus | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 1/28 | AB 458 | Sex Education Curriculum Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 1/28 | AB 458 | Sex Education Curriculum Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 1/28 | SB 415 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| 1/28 | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| 1/28 | SB 810 | Statewide Single Payer Health Care System | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 1/28 | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
| 1/28 | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
| 1/27 | SJR 8 | Casino Location Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| 1/27 | SB 9 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 1/27 | H 485 | Property Tax and Land Use Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (104 - 34) |
| 1/26 | Schiavoni Amdt | Casino Location Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 1/25 | SB 3 | Omnibus Constitutional Amendment | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 0) |
| 1/21 | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - House (27 - 5) |
| 1/20 | HB 166 | Authorizing Regional Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - House (72 - 26) |
| 1/20 | HB 2561 | Energy Efficiency Improvement Bonds | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| 1/20 | SB 26 | Allowing Nuclear Power Facility Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 1/19 | HF 2030 | School District Budget Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 1/19 | HF 2030 | School District Budget Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 1/19 | HCR 18 | Statement of Opposition to Federal Health Care Proposal | Joint Resolution Passed - House (111 - 46) |
| 1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47) |
| 1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 1/13 | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| 1/13 | SF 2033 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 1/12 | SB 880 | Requiring Snow Sport Helmets for Minors | |
| 1/12 | SB 880 | Requiring Snow Sport Helmets for Minors | |
| 1/12 | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 37) |
| 1/12 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 1/11 | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 1/11 | S 2905 | Requiring Chain Restaurants to Post Nutrition Information | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 1/11 | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (48 - 14) |
| 1/11 | S 2905 | Requiring Chain Restaurants to Post Nutrition Information | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| 1/11 | A 2029 | Chiropractic Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/11 | A 4378 | Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |