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. 19, 2009 | ND | HB 1400 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 16) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | ND | HB 1213 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Hotels | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | KS | SB 59 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | SBx3 7 | Transportation Financing Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SC | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | IA | HF 311 | Health Insurance Coverage for Prosthetics | Bill Passed - House (64 - 33) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | ND | HB 1348 | Allowing Concealed Firearms on Campuses | Bill Passed - House (48 - 46) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | NH | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Passed - House (197 - 155) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | OR | HB 2436 | Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs | Bill Passed - House (44 - 15) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | SD | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | KS | SB 25 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Feb. 16, 2009 | MT | SB 142 | Consideration of Gender for Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| Feb. 16, 2009 | ND | HB 1197 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Failed - House (34 - 58) |
| Feb. 16, 2009 | ND | HB 1431 | Increasing Fines for Certain Traffic Violations | Bill Failed - House (35 - 57) |
| Feb. 13, 2009 | UT | SB 48 | Amending Requirements for Obtaining Teaching Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| Feb. 13, 2009 | ND | SB 2184 | Repeals Auto Rebate Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | MS | HB 234 | Sex Education Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | MS | HB 234 | Sex Education Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| 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 | GA | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | WY | HB 218 | Amending Hathaway Scholarship Requirements | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | KY | SB 3 | Allowing Early High School Graduation | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 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 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | SD | SJR 1 | Authorization of Legal Gaming due to Gaming in Bordering States | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 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 | WY | HB 170 | State Lottery for Scholarship Funding | Bill Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | WY | SF 18 | Expanding Workers Compensation Coverage to Include Mental Injury | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | ND | SB 2330 | Prohibiting the Use of Credit Information By Insurers | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 29) |
| 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 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | VA | SB 1161 | Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | MT | SB 237 | Primary Seatbelt Enforcement | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 48) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | CO | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | AR | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | OR | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - House (36 - 34) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | HB 1671 | "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements | Bill Passed - House (80 - 17) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | National | S Amdt 109 | Hollywood Productions Tax Credit | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/19 | HB 1400 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 16) |
| 2/19 | HB 1213 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Hotels | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| 2/19 | SB 59 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 2/19 | SBx3 7 | Transportation Financing Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/18 | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| 2/18 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 2/18 | HF 311 | Health Insurance Coverage for Prosthetics | Bill Passed - House (64 - 33) |
| 2/18 | HB 1348 | Allowing Concealed Firearms on Campuses | Bill Passed - House (48 - 46) |
| 2/18 | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Passed - House (197 - 155) |
| 2/17 | HB 2436 | Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs | Bill Passed - House (44 - 15) |
| 2/17 | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/17 | SB 25 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 2/16 | SB 142 | Consideration of Gender for Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 2/16 | HB 1197 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Failed - House (34 - 58) |
| 2/16 | HB 1431 | Increasing Fines for Certain Traffic Violations | Bill Failed - House (35 - 57) |
| 2/13 | SB 48 | Amending Requirements for Obtaining Teaching Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 2/13 | SB 2184 | Repeals Auto Rebate Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6) |
| 2/12 | HB 234 | Sex Education Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| 2/12 | HB 234 | Sex Education Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| 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 | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| 2/10 | HB 218 | Amending Hathaway Scholarship Requirements | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
| 2/10 | SB 3 | Allowing Early High School Graduation | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 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 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 2/09 | SJR 1 | Authorization of Legal Gaming due to Gaming in Bordering States | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 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 | HB 170 | State Lottery for Scholarship Funding | Bill Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| 2/09 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 2/09 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| 2/06 | SF 18 | Expanding Workers Compensation Coverage to Include Mental Injury | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 2/06 | SB 2330 | Prohibiting the Use of Credit Information By Insurers | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 29) |
| 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 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| 2/05 | SB 1161 | Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 2/05 | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| 2/05 | SB 237 | Primary Seatbelt Enforcement | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25) |
| 2/05 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 48) |
| 2/05 | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/05 | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| 2/05 | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| 2/04 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - House (36 - 34) |
| 2/04 | HB 1671 | "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements | Bill Passed - House (80 - 17) |
| 2/03 | S Amdt 109 | Hollywood Productions Tax Credit | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45) |