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. 16, 2011 | OR | HB 2336 | Agriculture Regulation Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (45 - 13) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | PA | HB 262 | New Gaming Unit in the Office of Attorney General | Bill Passed - House (126 - 72) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | National | H Amdt 13 | Reducing Navy and Air Force Aircraft Procurement | Amendment Rejected - House (105 - 326) |
| Feb. 11, 2011 | KS | HCR 5007 | Prohibiting Mandated Health Insurance | Bill Passed - House (91 - 27) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | ND | HB 1278 | Fees for Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (51 - 42) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | WY | HB 256 | Tenant Rights in Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | ND | HB 1190 | Prohibits Distracted Driving | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | WY | HB 191 | Wind Power Tax | Bill Failed - House (27 - 32) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | SD | HB 1061 | Regulation of Registered Midwives | Bill Passed - House (37 - 32) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | GA | HB 72 | Establish an English-Only Driving Test | Bill Tabled - House (115 - 50) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | WY | HB 207 | Allowing Guns in Cars While Parked at Work | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | CT | HB 6308 | Establishes the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership | |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | WY | HB 204 | Patriotism in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (52 - 5) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | SD | HB 1061 | Regulation of Registered Midwives | Bill Failed - House (36 - 31) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | MT | HB 30 | Health Care Sharing Ministries | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | ND | HB 1190 | Prohibits Distracted Driving | Bill Failed - House (47 - 44) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | ND | HB 1195 | Bans Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (50 - 41) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | WY | HB 191 | Wind Power Tax | Bill Failed - House (29 - 29) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | ID | HJM 1 | Parental Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | MT | HB 198 | Eminent Domain Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | MT | HB 198 | Eminent Domain Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| Feb. 4, 2011 | WV | HB 2562 | Legalizing Mixed Martial Arts | Bill Passed - House (55 - 37) |
| Feb. 3, 2011 | WY | HB 188 | Legalizes Casual Poker Games | Bill Failed - House (22 - 38) |
| Feb. 3, 2011 | UT | HB 223 | Innkeeper's Rights Act Modification | Bill Failed - House (22 - 48) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | IA | HF 111 | Purchase of Health Care | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | NC | HB 2 | Prohibits Enforcement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - House (66 - 50) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | WY | HB 186 | Wyoming Lottery | Bill Failed - House (27 - 33) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | VA | HJ 593 | Free Exercise of Religion | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 33) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | WY | HB 35 | Health Care Choice and Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (44 - 14) |
| Jan. 31, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
| Jan. 31, 2011 | IN | HB 1018 | Ban on Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - House (68 - 31) |
| Jan. 26, 2011 | WY | HB 31 | Electronic Wagering | Bill Passed - House (36 - 22) |
| Jan. 26, 2011 | WY | HB 29 | Mandatory Testing for Suspected DUI Offenders | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| Jan. 25, 2011 | WY | HB 31 | Electronic Wagering | Bill Failed - House (29 - 29) |
| Jan. 25, 2011 | AZ | HB 2534 | Annexation of Land by Cities and Towns | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| Jan. 20, 2011 | AZ | SB 1001 | Request for Medicaid Waiver | Bill Passed - House (40 - 20) |
| Jan. 20, 2011 | WI | SB 2 | Tax Benefits for Health Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - House (66 - 28) |
| Jan. 19, 2011 | National | HR 2 | Repealing the Health Care Bill | Bill Passed - House (245 - 189) |
| Jan. 18, 2011 | MS | HB 455 | Payday Lending Provisions | Bill Passed - House (79 - 37) |
| Jan. 11, 2011 | IL | SB 2505 | Amends Property Tax Code | Bill Passed - House (60 - 57) |
| Jan. 11, 2011 | MO | HR 39 | Attorney General Challenge of the Federal Health Care Law | Resolution Passed - House (115 - 46) |
| Jan. 10, 2011 | NJ | S 2381 | Electric Generation Facilities Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| Dec. 22, 2010 | National | HR 847 | 9/11 Health and Compensation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 60) |
| Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
| Dec. 17, 2010 | National | HR 5510 | Aiding Those Facing Foreclosure Act | Bill Failed - House (210 - 145) |
| Dec. 16, 2010 | National | H Amdt 786 | Amending the Estate Tax | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233) |
| Dec. 13, 2010 | NJ | S 1 | Low-Income Housing Amendments and Abolishing the Council on Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| Nov. 29, 2010 | NY | S 8129B | Suspending Hydraulic Fracturing for the Extraction of Natural Gas | Bill Passed - House (93 - 43) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/16 | HB 2336 | Agriculture Regulation Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (45 - 13) |
| 2/15 | HB 262 | New Gaming Unit in the Office of Attorney General | Bill Passed - House (126 - 72) |
| 2/15 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| 2/15 | H Amdt 13 | Reducing Navy and Air Force Aircraft Procurement | Amendment Rejected - House (105 - 326) |
| 2/11 | HCR 5007 | Prohibiting Mandated Health Insurance | Bill Passed - House (91 - 27) |
| 2/10 | HB 1278 | Fees for Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (51 - 42) |
| 2/09 | HB 256 | Tenant Rights in Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
| 2/09 | HB 1190 | Prohibits Distracted Driving | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| 2/09 | HB 191 | Wind Power Tax | Bill Failed - House (27 - 32) |
| 2/09 | HB 1061 | Regulation of Registered Midwives | Bill Passed - House (37 - 32) |
| 2/09 | HB 72 | Establish an English-Only Driving Test | Bill Tabled - House (115 - 50) |
| 2/09 | HB 207 | Allowing Guns in Cars While Parked at Work | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| 2/08 | HB 6308 | Establishes the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership | |
| 2/08 | HB 204 | Patriotism in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (52 - 5) |
| 2/08 | HB 1061 | Regulation of Registered Midwives | Bill Failed - House (36 - 31) |
| 2/08 | HB 30 | Health Care Sharing Ministries | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| 2/08 | HB 1190 | Prohibits Distracted Driving | Bill Failed - House (47 - 44) |
| 2/08 | HB 1195 | Bans Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (50 - 41) |
| 2/08 | HB 191 | Wind Power Tax | Bill Failed - House (29 - 29) |
| 2/07 | HJM 1 | Parental Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 2/07 | HB 198 | Eminent Domain Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| 2/07 | HB 198 | Eminent Domain Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| 2/04 | HB 2562 | Legalizing Mixed Martial Arts | Bill Passed - House (55 - 37) |
| 2/03 | HB 188 | Legalizes Casual Poker Games | Bill Failed - House (22 - 38) |
| 2/03 | HB 223 | Innkeeper's Rights Act Modification | Bill Failed - House (22 - 48) |
| 2/02 | HF 111 | Purchase of Health Care | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 2/02 | HB 2 | Prohibits Enforcement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - House (66 - 50) |
| 2/02 | HB 186 | Wyoming Lottery | Bill Failed - House (27 - 33) |
| 2/01 | HJ 593 | Free Exercise of Religion | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 33) |
| 2/01 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| 2/01 | HB 35 | Health Care Choice and Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (44 - 14) |
| 1/31 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
| 1/31 | HB 1018 | Ban on Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - House (68 - 31) |
| 1/26 | HB 31 | Electronic Wagering | Bill Passed - House (36 - 22) |
| 1/26 | HB 29 | Mandatory Testing for Suspected DUI Offenders | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| 1/25 | HB 31 | Electronic Wagering | Bill Failed - House (29 - 29) |
| 1/25 | HB 2534 | Annexation of Land by Cities and Towns | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| 1/20 | SB 1001 | Request for Medicaid Waiver | Bill Passed - House (40 - 20) |
| 1/20 | SB 2 | Tax Benefits for Health Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - House (66 - 28) |
| 1/19 | HR 2 | Repealing the Health Care Bill | Bill Passed - House (245 - 189) |
| 1/18 | HB 455 | Payday Lending Provisions | Bill Passed - House (79 - 37) |
| 1/11 | SB 2505 | Amends Property Tax Code | Bill Passed - House (60 - 57) |
| 1/11 | HR 39 | Attorney General Challenge of the Federal Health Care Law | Resolution Passed - House (115 - 46) |
| 1/10 | S 2381 | Electric Generation Facilities Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| 12/22 | HR 847 | 9/11 Health and Compensation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 60) |
| 12/21 | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
| 12/17 | HR 5510 | Aiding Those Facing Foreclosure Act | Bill Failed - House (210 - 145) |
| 12/16 | H Amdt 786 | Amending the Estate Tax | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233) |
| 12/13 | S 1 | Low-Income Housing Amendments and Abolishing the Council on Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| 11/29 | S 8129B | Suspending Hydraulic Fracturing for the Extraction of Natural Gas | Bill Passed - House (93 - 43) |